La Sapienza University professor Francesca Romana Stasolla, who is overseeing the excavations at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, recently shared some of the results of the work in a comprehensive interview with the Times of Israel. In 2019, the three religious groups that manage the church agreed to work together to replace the floor tiles. Replacing the tiles gave archaeologists a rare opportunity to excavate at this ancient site. One of the biggest findings has been the remains of olive trees and grapevines, identified through archaeobotanical analysis (including pollen analysis) on samples retrieved from beneath the floor. Based on the archaeological context, the strata in which the samples were obtained date to the pre-Christian era. Radiocarbon dating has not yet been done. The discoveries indicate that the area was once a garden, which affirms John’s description of the place where Jesus was buried: “Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid” (Jn 19:41 ESV).
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