Church of the Holy Sepulchre
Discovered: Jerusalem
From: (c. AD 330)
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There are three tombs in Jerusalem that have been purported to be the final resting place of Jesus. The one that appears to have the most evidence is the tomb within the "edicule" (shrine) within the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Archeologists have determined that the area was a cemetery in the first century that was in a limestone quarry with gardens in the area.
Eusebius reports that the Romans built a pagan temple over the area in the second century. Later, Helena, the mother of Constantine (the first Christian emperor), removed the edifice and dug down to the tomb and led the construction of the church.
Recent archeological work has removed the stone from the tomb opening and revealed the limestone bed on which a body would be laid.
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