Visiting the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem on our most recent trip in February was amazing. I had not seen the renovated Edicule (the structure over the tomb) until then, so this was an especially exciting visit for me. And because tourism was only just reopening at that time, there were no lines at all. Many of us have memories of the long line that usually circles the Edicule and of the wait that is necessary in order to enter the tomb for a brief moment. The lack of any waiting this time caused Tina and me to take dozens of photos because we knew some wouldn’t believe us when we described it!
Not all restoration is as visible and spectacular as the Edicule’s, and it might surprise some to know that close to the time we were there, another, quieter project was getting underway. After nearly 30 years of discussion among three of the largest Christian denominations that share custody of the church (Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox, and Armenian), a two-year restoration and upgrade project has begun that will give archeologists a rare excavation opportunity at this holy site.
The project involves the repair and restoration of pavement stones around the church complex, along with updating some of the electrical, plumbing, and safety infrastructure. As the floor is being worked on, an Italian team will not only get to study the paving stones but will also get to examine the archaeology underneath. In many areas, this will be the first access archaeologists have ever had. They will get to date the flooring stones more precisely and study the pavement itself, and the look beneath will be a chance to gain additional knowledge of the church’s history. The objective is not to remove much material but to replace what they can. The pavement will be restored where possible, replaced with new stone where necessary, and set back into its original position when the project is complete.
This is a good example of how restoration work and archaeology go together at sites where open excavation is impossible. It may come as a surprise to many to learn that active archaeology is going on at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, but such is the case there and in many places where one might think that everything that can be done has been done. There is so much to discover and learn, and you can be sure that in some of the places that we visit, there is something new to see even since our last visit!
