Brenna Cooper
Archeologists have reportedly uncovered evidence which supports the Biblical account of the crucification and burial of Jesus Christ.
For a man who lived and died over 2000 years ago, the life and death of a certain Jesus of Nazareth has continued to capture our imagination and, in the minds of Christians worldwide, devotion.
There has been numerous debates about the supposed burial location of Jesus over the years, however, a group of archaeologists from an Italian university believe they may have found proof.
And it's all down to the discovery of fossilised plants.
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According to the Christian Bible, Jesus was crucified near where the Church of the Holy Sepulchre now stands in Jerusalem before ultimately being laid to rest nearby.
"Now in the place where he was crucified, there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid. There they laid Jesus," reads the relevant passage from the Gospel of John 19:41.
Now you may be wondering 'why would the burial location of Jesus be so important if he later rose from the dead?'. Well, because history and pilgrimage.
Archeologists from Sapienza University of Rome have now discovered the presence of olive trees and grapevines which date back two centuries and pointed to the reference to a 'garden' in the above Bible verse as evidence linking the two.
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"The archaeobotanical findings have been especially interesting for us," lead archaeologist Francesca Romana Stasolla said in an interview with Times of Israel about the findings.
She continued: "In light of what is mentioned in the Gospel of John, whose information is considered written or collected by someone familiar with Jerusalem at the time.
"The Gospel mentions a green area between the Calvary and the tomb, and we identified these cultivated field."
Despite the importance of the findings, and their potential holiness, Stasolla was keen to clarify that history and religion should be kept as two distinct fields of research.
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"The real treasure we are revealing is the history of the people who made this site what it is by expressing their faith here," she added.
"Whether someone believes or not in the historicity of the Holy Sepulchre, the fact that generations of people did is objective. The history of this place is the history of Jerusalem."
Stasolla have currently paused their excavations in order to make way for Easter celebrations in the area, but are hoping to resume their work afterwards, with hopes to learn more about the area and the ancient history of the city.