The crowd was instantly hushed as they realized what was about to happen. Everyone in this room was about to be privy to a history-making moment. The crew had been waiting years for this moment, and now it was only a few seconds away.
Slowly they began to open the tomb. It creaked with the pressure of thousands of centuries, and for a minute no one could believe their eyes. Was the world ready to hear about this amazing discovery? The team wiped their brows and gave the final push to reveal something they never expected.
Working On Holy Soil
At the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, a team of archaeologists was feverishly working to reveal what they believed the discovery of the century. The team was composed of several different members, but only one was responsible to share with the world.
Fredrick Hiebert worked for National Geographic and his comments would instantly be shared with thousands of curious people on the internet. Would anyone understand how important this discovery was for the future of civilization?
What Was Happening On-Site
This project was first started in Athens in 2016. It was being organized by the National Technical University of Athens. They wanted to spend their time restoring the chapel-like structure with priceless artifacts.
This building was called the Epicule, and inside it houses the tomb of Jesus Christ. No one had opened this sacred space in centuries. Would one team be able to unlock the secrets of the largest religions in the world?
The Church Of His Son
The primary location that held the chapel was a famous church. It was called the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and had survived wars and vandalism for thousands of years. The contents inside this church would put each Archaeologist into the history books, or ruin their careers.
This was the burial ground for Jesus Christ, a man connected to multiple religions and places of high power. For years, people wondered if this was a fraudulent burial location, but the latest evidence left no more room for doubts.
People Wanted To Believe
Historians had constantly questioned if this was truly the site that held Jesus Christ’s remains. It had been an ongoing academic debate for years. When this team first began their research many people were skeptics, until they heard this information.
While the team had been hard at work, it was finally paying off. When they brushed aside the dust, dirt, and grime, they realized the true value of what they were standing on.
A Field Strife With Tension
This discovery was being filed under biblical archaeology. Most artifacts relating to the bible were dated to years after the work's original creation. This meant that every single piece of evidence needed to go through a tough process of validation.
The church had been standing on holy ground for years. People were anxious to have solid facts and couldn’t wait for the final reveal. The big day was here and people from all over the world flew in just to lay their eyes on this one piece of history.
What Was The Debate Focused On?
The main thing archaeologists were hoping to prove was that the Romans had crucified Jesus Christ. Up until this point, there was no hard evidence or body found that could corroborate this piece of history.
Inside this church, located at the bottom, buried for centuries, the team was hopeful of finding one thing. They knew it had been a gamble but now all their careers and reputations were on the line.
Holy Neighbours
The church was located in the heart of Jerusalem which has many religious landmarks and pilgrimage sites. The church is close to other important religious monuments. Those are the Dome of the Rock and the Wailing Wall.
The community is very diverse with several religions practicing in close quarters. Would this discovery ruin the years of peaceful community Jerusalem had established?
Who Was Responsible For The Burial?
Many people have been skeptical over who was responsible for choosing the burial location of Jesus Christ. While some people think it was the community as a whole, many people bring up the name, Joseph of Arimathea.
He is not a well-documented member of history and is also a controversial choice as he follows the Jewish faith. With so many eyes on this discovery, would the truth finally be revealed or would everyone continue to wonder about this event from centuries ago.
Wide Representation In The Room
As the archaeologists prepared to reveal their findings, the audience was made up of several members of the community. Representation from Roman Catholic, Armenian, and Greek Orthodox faiths were all present and equally as excited.
The crowd was murmuring and growing more impatient by the second. It was now or never for the team to reveal their work. With a flourish, they creaked open the door to one of history’s greatest mysteries.
The Church Was Lavish
The original structure of the church was lavish and fit to entertain royalty. It was still possible to see many ornamental decorations in the ceilings. Before it was covered up, the original tomb of Jesus Christ was said to be open to the sky.
Guests would enter the church and go down a specific staircase to look down in wonder. After years of war and religious unrest, the tomb had been closed to protect valuable items. This would be the first time they would see the sun in hundreds of years…
These Walls Had Been Covered In Blood
Over the course of history, religious powers had fought tirelessly. In 1099, the church was turned to rubble in an act of fanatical religious violence. When the dust had settled, people were amazed the tomb had not cracked or been damaged.
People had taken it seriously to continue building the church and keeping it covered and protected. It was only a few short years after that initial rebuild the crusades began and Christianity was spreading across the globe. People for centuries have only wanted to see one thing….
Taken Over By Flames
In 1808 danger struck again when the church was burned to the ground. The structure was engulfed in flames during the Ottoman empire but quickly rebuilt. The latest natural disaster was an earthquake that struck Jerusalem in 1927.
The archaeologist was risking their career on artifacts that had survived natural and man-made disasters. What if there was nothing left when they opened the tomb? All the could do was take a deep breath and look inside.
Renovations And Restorations
Due to the church’s location, it was a target of restoration. While the projects began they also funded other exploratory projects. Many teams had entered the church and found unique discoveries, but no one had touched the tomb.
This tomb seemed bigger than life itself, but now it was time to show the world the mysteries and secrets held within. The repercussions for mishandling this event would have world changing impacts.
Secrets Locked In For Years
In 1555 the tomb was covered with a large piece of marble. It was put in place to prohibit people from stealing the contents of the tomb. People would even try to steal a rock from the walls believing everything surrounding the site was touched by god.
Now over 400 years later, the marble was finally being pushed away. The team felt every inch of history slide away and then gasped in surprise at the first items they lay their eyes on!
The Second Slab Of Marble
No one had expected the second slab of marble to block the discovery. When they finally pushed the original slab of marble aside, the team had reactions varying from frustration to excitement.
With the second piece of marble, it was a bigger possibility that the artifacts would be in even better condition than they originally expected. It was time to bring in different equipment and move this second barrier.
How Long To Remove
The process of removing the second slab of marble took over 60 hours to complete. The marble had a design of a cross etched on top and the archaeologist believed this was also an important part of history to save.
Fredrick Hiebert told local newspapers this discovery was, “The most amazing thing, with a beautifully inscribed cross. We had no idea that was there.” The surprises of the tomb were only just beginning.
They Had To Work Quickly
Due to preserving the artifacts, the tomb itself could only be open for a couple of hours. The team had to work fast to gather all samples and data. Nothing would be confirmed until things were cataloged properly.
The team had to give a press conference. People had been waiting for weeks to see what they would reveal. When they finally stepped in front of the camera’s it wasn’t with the news people expected.
A Spokesperson To Blame
In 2016, Professor Antonia Moropoulou, spoke to many different news sites to explain the lack of photographic proof of what was found in the tomb.
As the team’s leader, she explained that the tomb won’t be reopened after this excavation for a very long time. If the earth survives as long as she expects, this might be the last time the tomb is ever opened again. “The architectural conservation which we are implementing is intended to last forever.”
Another Year Went By…
After one year, the team began to receive data results. The labs had conducted studies using optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) and would be able to properly date the structure.
With these results, the team could confirm the tomb had been untouched since the 4th century. They continue to gather more data and results and pose more questions on the validity of the tomb and location.