Archaeologists Discover Ancient Garden at Site of Christ’s Burial, Backing Biblical Narrative

A new archaeological study on the site of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem has uncovered traces of a long-lost garden and bolsters the Gospel narrative of Jesus’ burial and resurrection.

The study, carried out by Professor Francesca Romana Stasolla of Sapienza University in Rome, found evidence of a garden with olive trees and grapevines that existed on the site some 2,000 years ago -- mirroring the description found in John 19:41-42. That passage reads, “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. … They laid Jesus there.”

The Times of Israel first reported the discovery. 

Archaeobotanical and pollen analysis of samples taken from beneath the ancient basilica floor revealed the presence of olive trees and grapevines, the study found. 

“We know that the area was already part of the city at the time of Emperor Hadrian when the Romans built Aelia Capitolina,” Stasolla told the newspaper. “However, at the time of Jesus, the area was not part of the city yet.”

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is widely regarded as the site of Jesus’ crucifixion, burial, and resurrection and has been a major pilgrimage destination for centuries.

The archaeological study was made possible thanks to the first major restoration project in the basilica since a fire in 1808. The Orthodox Patriarchate, the Custody of the Holy Land and the Armenian Patriarchate -- the three main religious groups overseeing the church -- reached an agreement to carry out major renovations, including replacing the mostly 19th-century floor, the Times of Israel reported. 

“With the renovation works, the religious communities decided to also allow archaeological excavations under the floor,” Stasolla said.

Built in the fourth century by order of Emperor Constantine, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre was constructed on the site that his mother, Helena, identified around in the fourth century as the location of Jesus’ crucifixion and His nearby burial tomb. Over the centuries, the church has endured destruction, rebuilding, and numerous restorations due to fires, invasions, and earthquakes. It remains one of Christianity’s most sacred sites.

Photo Credit: ©thinkstock

Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel. 

Originally published April 07, 2025.