Italian archaeologists working beneath Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre have uncovered an ancient landscape that closely matches biblical descriptions of the place where Jesus Christ was crucified and buried.

The findings come from excavations carried out during restoration work at the fourth-century church.

Lead archaeologist, Francesca Romana Stasolla of the University of Rome La Sapienza said the team found evidence of a funerary and agricultural landscape. The dig revealed an abandoned quarry, cultivated plots, rock-cut tombs and what appeared to be an ancient garden.

The discoveries align with the Gospel of John’s account that a garden and a new tomb existed at the place of the crucifixion. Researchers noted that parts of the quarry, about 20 feet deep, had later been filled with soil and used for farming, with traces of olive trees and grapevines from around the period of Jesus’ death.

Rock-cut graves matching descriptions in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke were also identified. Other evidence suggests the site was recognised as an important burial location long before the present church was built.

The findings do not conclusively prove that the tomb belonged to Jesus. Stasolla said the real value of the excavation lies in revealing the history of the generations of people who treated the site as sacred and expressed their faith there over the centuries.

Photo credit: Punch Newspapers