GARDEN TOMB

Many Christians believe that the Garden Tomb is the site of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. This is sometimes called "Gordon’s Calvary" after the British officer who first spotted it in 1883. To him everything seemed to fit. It contained a garden as evidenced by a cistern (third largest in Jerusalem) and had to have belonged to a wealthy man (Joseph of Arimathea) as indicated in the Scriptures. It was "hewn out of the rock," since digging graves in rocky ground around Jerusalem would be very difficult. There is evidence of an earthquake as indicated to the right of the Empty Tomb. While the tomb was large enough for someone to sit in, it also required that one stoop as he entered as John 19 and 20 indicate in the sacred account. This tomb is administered today by the Garden Tomb Association based in England. Calvary itself is just short walk away and gives the appearance of a skull. However, this was once a quarry and a place of execution. The important thing, of course, is that "He is not here. He is risen." Archaeologists do say that this is definitely a first century tomb.