Jerusalem, November 29, 2024
Photo: heritagedaily.com
Recent archaeological investigations at Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre have yielded significant insights into the sacred site’s historical layers, according to researchers from Rome’s Sapienza University.
The church, which dates to the 4th century AD, stands at the location of Christ’s death, entombment, and Resurrection, making it among Christianity’s most venerated locations.
At a joint presentation featuring representatives from the site’s custodial authorities—the Greek Orthodox Church, the Latin Catholic Custody of the Holy Land, and the Armenian Church—archaeologists revealed that the location initially served as a quarry. This finding is supported by distinctive saw marks in the bedrock and evidence of systematic stone extraction, reports Heritage Daily.
The quarrying operation, which reached depths of over 15 feet in some sections, followed a northeastern to southwestern pattern. Following its abandonment in the Iron Age, the area was transformed into agricultural land, supporting olive groves and vineyards.
In the aftermath of Jerusalem’s fall during the Jewish-Roman conflict, the site underwent another transformation when Emperor Hadrian established Aelia Capitolina, constructing a pagan shrine where the quarry had been. This temple remained active until Constantine I ordered its demolition in the 4th century to make way for a Christian sanctuary. Under Bishop Macarius I of Jerusalem’s direction, excavations revealed what he determined to be Jesus’s tomb carved from the rock.
Contemporary research has confirmed the presence of Hadrianic religious architecture and identified evidence of extensive ground-leveling operations conducted to accommodate major construction projects.
The 4th-century development created an elaborate religious complex designed to accommodate various worship practices and pilgrim movements. Its architecture facilitated circulation around multiple veneration points and provided covered areas for visitors, following established patterns seen in both pagan and early Christian sacred sites.
Current excavation efforts concentrate on the church’s northern wing, seeking to better understand the Roman religious structure. The project also encompasses comprehensive documentation of the basilica complex and material analysis to better chart the site’s development and its significance within Jerusalem’s urban fabric.
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