Italian archaeologists have uncovered an ancient site beneath Jerusalem's Church of the Holy Sepulchre that aligns with biblical descriptions of Jesus Christ's burial location. The preliminary findings, detailed in a study published in the Jerusalem archaeological journal Liber Annuus, present evidence of a funerary landscape matching accounts in the Gospels.
Led by Francesca Romana Stasolla from the “La Sapienza” University of Rome, the research team was excavating the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, a fourth-century Roman church built on a site believed by many Christians to be where Jesus was crucified, buried, and resurrected. The church is a major pilgrimage destination, drawing approximately four million visitors annually.
During the final stages of excavations in 2025, which began three years earlier during floor restoration work, archaeologists discovered a unique landscape. Beneath the church lay an abandoned quarry, cultivated plots, rock-cut tombs, and an ancient garden. This discovery mirrors the description in the Book of John, which states: “At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid.”
While the tomb itself was found empty, the parallels with biblical texts are considered compelling. The Gospel of John mentions the crucifixion occurring near Jerusalem, and the Book of Hebrews states it happened outside the city gates, which corresponds to the location of the quarry at the time of Christ. Sections of the quarry measured 20 feet deep and were filled with dirt, suggesting a pastoral use.
Evidence of the site's agricultural function was further supported by the discovery of olive trees and grapevines, potentially dating back to the era of Jesus' death around 33 A.D., as referenced in John 19:41. "The gospel mentions a green area between the Calvary and the tomb, and we identified these cultivated fields," Stasolla told The Times of Israel.
The presence of graves carved directly into the stone confirms the area as a burial ground, consistent with the descriptions by Matthew, Mark, and Luke of Jesus' tomb being hewn from rock.
Further historical context emerged with the discovery of a Roman structure from Emperor Hadrian's reign that had obstructed one chamber. Approximately two centuries later, workers during Constantine's era dismantled the Roman structure, revealing the tomb, which was then separated and designated as a Christian shrine for pilgrims.
While these findings do not definitively prove the site as Jesus' burial place, the continuity of its preservation suggests that knowledge of the location was passed down to early Christian worshippers. "The real treasure we are revealing is the history of the people who made this site what it is by expressing their faith here," Stasolla told The Times. "Whether someone believes or not in the historicity of the Holy Sepulchre, the fact that generations of people did is objective. The history of this place is the history of Jerusalem, and at least from a certain moment, it is the history of the worship of Jesus Christ."