Archaeologists find ancient marble monument at Jesus' traditional tomb

Archaeologists working beneath the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem have unearthed the remains of a 20-foot-wide circular marble monument surrounding the burial chamber traditionally identified as the tomb of Jesus Christ.

The discovery provides new physical evidence that the tomb was deliberately distinguished and honored in antiquity. Researchers found that the rock around the chamber had been intentionally cut away to isolate it. The circular design of the marble structure may have echoed the original monument commissioned by Roman Emperor Constantine nearly 1,700 years ago.

Archaeologist Francesca Romana Stasolla noted that the monumentation was kept relatively modest to preserve the original appearance of the venerated site. While some marble fragments may date to later construction phases, researchers described the find as the earliest archaeologically documented monument built around the tomb. Some evidence suggests the marble may have been part of restoration efforts following the Persian Sassanid invasion of Jerusalem in 614 AD.