Jesus' tomb 'discovered' by archaeologists in 'unbelievable' find

The discovery of an olive tree and grape vine at the site of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem corresponds exactly with the description of Jesus' tomb in the Bible

Recent archaeological findings in Jerusalem align perfectly with the biblical description of Jesus' tomb.

The exact location, as described in the Gospel of John, has been unveiled by architects at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem: "Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulcher, wherein was never man yet laid. There laid they Jesus."

Archaeobotanical and pollen analysis conducted on samples from beneath the ancient basilica's floor confirmed the existence of olive trees and grapevines. These findings suggest that the area dates back to the pre-Christian era, although radiocarbon testing is still pending.

"We know that the area was already part of the city at the time of Emperor Hadrian when the Romans built Aelia Capitolina," Prof Francesca Romana Stasolla of the Sapienza University of Rome told the Times of Israel, referring to the Roman city constructed on top of the ruins of Jerusalem in the first half of the 2nd century CE. "However, at the time of Jesus, the area was not part of the city yet."

Christian tradition holds that the Church of the Holy Sepulchre marks the location of Jesus' crucifixion (known as Calvary or Golgotha) and his nearby tomb, which today is crowned by an aedicule erected in 1810, reports the Express. It comes as Pope Leo dismisses JD Vance with four words.

Stasolla has been leading the charge since the groundbreaking archaeological work started at the historic site in 2022. Following years of deadlock, the triad of religious authorities managing the church—the Orthodox Patriarchate, the Custody of the Holy Land, and the Armenian Patriarchate—agreed on a renovation project in 2019.

They set out to replace the basilica's mostly 19th-century flooring, launching the first major restoration since an 1808 fire. Securing a permit from the Israel Antiquities Authority was mandatory, as all digs in the nation must be legally sanctioned.

"During the renovation works, the religious communities decided to also permit archaeological excavations beneath the floor," Stasolla disclosed in what marks her premiere full-scale interview with The Times of Israel since diggings began.

She noted: "However, currently, we do not have any active excavation sites as the church is preparing for Easter, when it needs to be fully accessible to pilgrims."

She underscored that the fragility and logistical demands of the historical site necessitate extreme care during their operations.

The team of archaeologists working under Stasolla are Italians connected with La Sapienza University of Rome. Stasolla remarked: "We work in shifts, but our team in Jerusalem always comprises 10 or 12 individuals. The atmosphere here is truly unique; we have received a warm welcome and established strong bonds with everyone."

Stasolla, a member of the archaeological team working on the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, shared that their team often collaborates with specialists such as geologists, archaeobotanists, or archaeozoologists from Rome. The church was undergoing renovations in March 2025.

"We take turns, but our team in Jerusalem always includes 10 or 12 people," Stasolla revealed. "The atmosphere here is very special; we have been welcomed warmly and built strong relationships with everyone."

Occasionally, specialists from Rome join the team in Jerusalem.

The excavation of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is being carried out by archaeologists from the Sapienza University of Rome. (Archivio Università di Roma La Sapienza).

"However, most of our team remains based in Rome, where we send the data for the post-production work," Stasolla added.

"While we have not been able to see the entire church excavated in one glance, new technologies are allowing us to reconstruct the bigger picture in our labs," Stasolla said. "If we were talking about a puzzle, we could say we are only excavating one piece at a time, but eventually, we will have a complete multimedia reconstruction of the full picture."

The Holy Sepulchre, a site of profound historical significance, has endured a tumultuous history marked by destruction and restoration. Originally built in the fourth century by Emperor Constantine, who was the first to convert to Christianity, the church has faced numerous adversities including a devastating fire set by Persians in the seventh century and an attack by caliph al-Hakim in 1009.

Its current structure owes much to the extensive renovations carried out during the Crusader period in the 12th century. Stasolla reveals that the hidden strata beneath the church's flooring, comparable to a historical manuscript, offer a remarkable chronicle of Jerusalem's past, tracing back to the Iron Age (1200-586 BCE).

"The church is built on a quarry, which isn't surprising as a large portion of the Old City of Jerusalem is situated on a quarry," said Stasolla. "The quarry was operational during the Iron Age. During our excavation, we discovered pottery, lamps, and other everyday items from that era."

After the quarry ceased operations and before the church's construction, the area served agricultural purposes.

"Low stone walls were constructed, and the space between them was filled with soil," detailed Stasolla. "The archaeobotanical findings have been particularly intriguing for us, given what is mentioned in the Gospel of John, believed to be written or compiled by someone familiar with Jerusalem at the time. The Gospel refers to a green area between the Calvary and the tomb, and we identified these cultivated fields."

Recent discoveries at a Jerusalem site that dates back to the time of Jesus, and known not only as a quarry but also as an ancient burial ground full of rock-carved tombs, have shed light on the era of Constantine. An expert explained: "We need to imagine that as the quarry was progressively abandoned, tombs were carved at different levels."

The site apparently contains several burials from that time, including the one revered as Jesus' tomb, which was isolated by Constantine during construction around what is now the rotunda. "The area, therefore, featured several burials from that period. Constantine selected the one that had been venerated as the tomb where Jesus was buried, and he excavated around it in the area that corresponds to the current rotunda, isolating it from the other burials."

Within the Holy Sepulchre complex, multiple ancient tombs are present, including one believed to be that of Joseph of Arimathea who, according to Christian tradition, provided his own burial space for Jesus.

Stasolla's team came upon many items thought to be from the 4th century. Probing beneath today's structure, she revealed: "Under the current aedicule, we found a circular basis that is part of the first monumentalization of the tomb, made out of marble."

Highlighting the significance of the find, Stasolla further noted: "It is interesting because the most ancient depictions of the aedicule, which date back to the 5th and 6th centuries, describe it as circular. We therefore believe that this circular basis was part of the original structure built by Constantine."

Future study of this grand artifact spanning a massive six meters (nearly 20 feet) across is set to offer academics a deeper dive into the rich history of the celebrated structure. "We are conducting geological analysis to verify the origin of the marble, and we are also testing the mortar," said Stasolla.

"Both tests can provide us with crucial information."

Among other significant findings, researchers have stumbled upon a trove of coins hailing from the fourth century in the structure's eastern sector. The earliest coin dates back to the era of Constantius II (337–361 CE), while the newest come from the time of Valens (374–378 CE).

Furthermore, the excavation team has unearthed hundreds of animal bones, relics of age-old feasts enjoyed by priests and pilgrims alike. A preliminary report shared in the esteemed "Liber Annuus," journal in 2023 meticulously outlines discoveries from a structural trench dated to the Crusader period, as well as from a modern manhole pit, both sites revealing various remains like those of sheep, goats, pigs, chickens, geese, and pigeons, alongside a bounty of fish remains.

Notably identified were a ponyfish native to the Indo-Pacific Ocean and a cod from the Atlantic. "We also discovered several shells of a terrestrial snail species that is still consumed today," Stasolla noted.

"This species originated here and spread around the Mediterranean following the Crusades."

The archaeologist emphasized that only after a thorough analysis of the unearthed bones can we gain a deeper insight into the changing dietary habits of those who lived in and frequented the Church over the centuries.

With around 100,000 pottery shards among the excavation discoveries, scientists predict it will take years to analyze everything. Despite this, excavations are set to restart post-Easter and are expected to wrap up within months.

"We only have a part of the northern aisle left to excavate," Stasolla revealed.

When asked about the potential of archaeology to conclusively prove Jesus's burial at the Holy Sepulchre, Stasolla highlighted the importance of distinguishing between faith and history.

"However, it is the faith of those who have believed in the sanctity of this site for millennia that has allowed it to exist and evolve," she noted. "This is true for all holy sites.

"The real treasure we are uncovering is the history of the people who made this site what it is by expressing their faith here," she added. "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 from a certain point, it is the history of the worship of Jesus Christ."