Scientists have uncovered a 2,000-year-old garden beneath Jesus’ tomb in Jerusalem, providing tangible evidence that aligns with Gospel accounts, astonishing both believers and historians while deepening understanding of the site’s sacred history.

In a discovery that has electrified both scholars and believers around the world, scientists working beneath the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem’s Old City have uncovered compelling evidence of a 2,000‑year‑old garden directly beneath the site traditionally believed to be the burial place of Jesus Christ—a finding that closely aligns with the Gospel of John’s description of the landscape where Jesus was crucified and laid to rest.

The excavation, part of an ongoing restoration project that began in 2022, has revealed traces of ancient olive trees and grapevines dating back to the time of Jesus’ crucifixion around 30–33 AD, suggesting that the area now beneath one of Christianity’s holiest shrines was once a living, cultivated garden.

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre has been venerated for centuries by millions of pilgrims as the place of Golgotha—the “place of the skull” where Jesus was crucified—and the nearby tomb where his body was laid and from which he is believed to have risen.

The original church was first built in the 4th century AD under Emperor Constantine after his mother, Helena, identified what was believed to be Christ’s tomb.

Since then, the site has undergone countless reconstructions, destruction during invasions, and restorations, making direct archaeological access challenging.

However, the recent decision by the religious authorities that share responsibility for the basilica—Greek Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Armenian Orthodox, Coptic, Ethiopian, and Syriac churches—to replace and renovate sections of the church floor opened a rare window for scientific study.

Leading the excavation is Professor Francesca Romana Stasolla, whose team meticulously analyzed soil layers and plant remains beneath the church’s ancient stones.

Through archaeobotanical and pollen analysis, they identified the presence of olive seeds, grapevine fragments, and other botanical material that match agricultural cultivation practices from the first century CE, before the area was absorbed into the expanding urban sprawl of Jerusalem.

These agricultural traces were found in sediment layers that predate both the construction of the basilica and the development of the city under Roman Emperor Hadrian in the 2nd century.

“What we are seeing here is not just random plant matter,” Professor Stasolla explained in a recent interview.

“The evidence clearly indicates a garden landscape—a cultivated place with olive and grape cultivation that would have existed during the time of Jesus.

This is remarkably consistent with the Gospel of John’s description of a garden near the crucifixion and burial sites.”

The connection to John’s Gospel is especially significant because, unlike the other synoptic gospels, John specifically mentions that Jesus was crucified near a garden and placed in a “new tomb in which no one had yet been laid” (John 19:41).

For centuries, scholars have debated the historical reliability of this detail, particularly because descriptions of burial customs and burial locations varied in the first century.

The discovery of botanical evidence of a garden here lends a new dimension to the textual narrative, offering material confirmation of a landscape long thought to be symbolic.

In addition to plant remains, archaeologists uncovered pottery shards, pieces of ancient oil lamps, and burial features from the Iron Age and early Roman period, suggesting that the area served multiple purposes before its transformation into a Christian holy site.

Initially a rock quarry outside Jerusalem’s city walls, the site appears to have been gradually abandoned as stone extraction declined and then repurposed for cultivation and burial practices.

Local custodians and religious leaders have welcomed the findings with profound enthusiasm.

Father Michael Haddad, a senior cleric at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, described the discovery as “a blessing that brings scripture to life.

” He noted that earlier pilgrims had always recounted the Gospel narratives as spiritual truths, but now believers can see tangible evidence of the landscape described in the sacred texts.

“To see what may be the very garden where those sacred events unfolded—this deeply moves the faithful,” he said.

However, experts emphasize caution in interpreting the results.

While the garden evidence powerfully resonates with Gospel accounts, it does not definitively prove that this was the exact site of Jesus’ crucifixion or the literal burial location of his body.

Archaeologists and historians alike point out that gardens and agricultural plots were common around Jerusalem during the Roman period, and the presence of ancient cultivation only indicates that the landscape matched descriptions in early Christian writings.

Further radiocarbon dating and comparative studies are still underway to pin down more precise timelines for the plant remains and other artifacts.

The implications of this discovery extend beyond mere academic curiosity.

For believers, it offers a profound connection between faith and history, suggesting that ancient descriptions in sacred texts may be rooted in actual landscapes and lived experiences.

For historians and archaeologists, the find enriches understanding of Jerusalem’s urban development, religious significance, and the interplay between evolving sacred traditions and physical geography.

In the coming months, the excavation team plans to publish detailed reports and open the site for further scientific exploration, inviting scholars from around the world to contribute to the interpretation of these remarkable finds.

As preparations continue for major Christian celebrations in Jerusalem, including Easter, the discovery of this ancient garden beneath one of the world’s most revered holy sites is sure to inspire both theological reflection and historical debate for years to come.

This extraordinary fusion of science, archaeology, and faith invites people of all backgrounds to reconsider the landscapes of ancient Jerusalem—and the possibility that some biblical descriptions may be more than metaphorical, but rooted in the very soil beneath their feet.