The Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher, located in Jerusalem's Christian quarter, is a site of great historical importance. It is traditionally believed to be the location of Jesus's crucifixion and burial. Constructed by Constantine the Great around 326 AD, the Basilica was built over the site previously occupied by a Roman temple dedicated to Jupiter and Venus, as noted in historical records. Throughout the centuries, the Basilica has experienced multiple events like wars, earthquakes, and fires and was destroyed and rebuilt many times. Currently, a new archaeological campaign is taking place inside the Holy Sepulcher Basilica. This excavation, led by the Sapienza University of Rome, is a part of a project request by the Communities responsible of the complex of the Holy Sepulcher and with a license for archaeological excavations by the Israel Archaeological Authority. Although various sites in Jerusalem have been previously studied in terms of archaeobotany (1, 2, 3), this is the first investigation at a site with a broad chronological range, spanning from the mid-Iron Age to the modern era, which considers both macro- and micro- plant remains. So far, samples were recovered from four areas within the Basilica. At the current state, the carpological assemblage includes both wild and cultivated plants, with an abundance of fig (Ficus carica L.; Fig. 2). Two locations have yielded a significant amount of wood charcoal, about 20% of which are twigs, with numerous fragments of deciduous and evergreen Quercus (oaks; Fig. 1), Rhamnus/Phillyrea, and Olea europaea L. (olive). Pollen analysis has revealed a high presence of Cichorioideae, followed by Asteroideae and Amaranthaceae. Despite the poor state of pollen preservation, its concentration was higher than expected in an archaeological context. This study is framed in the PNRR PE5 CHANGES Spoke 5 is still ongoing and aims to uncover insights into plant usage and the vegetation history of the city across different periods.
Archaeobotanical investigation in the Holy Sepulcher Basilica: some preliminary results / Cerafogli, Eleonora; Moricca, Claudia; Masci, Lucrezia; Stasolla, FRANCESCA ROMANA; Sadori, Laura; Masi, Alessia. - (2024), pp. 13-13. (Intervento presentato al convegno 119° Congresso della Società Botanica Italiana - X International Plant Science Conference tenutosi a Teramo; Italy).
Archaeobotanical investigation in the Holy Sepulcher Basilica: some preliminary results
Eleonora Cerafogli;Claudia Moricca;Lucrezia Masci;Francesca Romana Stasolla;Laura Sadori;Alessia Masi
2024
Abstract
The Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher, located in Jerusalem's Christian quarter, is a site of great historical importance. It is traditionally believed to be the location of Jesus's crucifixion and burial. Constructed by Constantine the Great around 326 AD, the Basilica was built over the site previously occupied by a Roman temple dedicated to Jupiter and Venus, as noted in historical records. Throughout the centuries, the Basilica has experienced multiple events like wars, earthquakes, and fires and was destroyed and rebuilt many times. Currently, a new archaeological campaign is taking place inside the Holy Sepulcher Basilica. This excavation, led by the Sapienza University of Rome, is a part of a project request by the Communities responsible of the complex of the Holy Sepulcher and with a license for archaeological excavations by the Israel Archaeological Authority. Although various sites in Jerusalem have been previously studied in terms of archaeobotany (1, 2, 3), this is the first investigation at a site with a broad chronological range, spanning from the mid-Iron Age to the modern era, which considers both macro- and micro- plant remains. So far, samples were recovered from four areas within the Basilica. At the current state, the carpological assemblage includes both wild and cultivated plants, with an abundance of fig (Ficus carica L.; Fig. 2). Two locations have yielded a significant amount of wood charcoal, about 20% of which are twigs, with numerous fragments of deciduous and evergreen Quercus (oaks; Fig. 1), Rhamnus/Phillyrea, and Olea europaea L. (olive). Pollen analysis has revealed a high presence of Cichorioideae, followed by Asteroideae and Amaranthaceae. Despite the poor state of pollen preservation, its concentration was higher than expected in an archaeological context. This study is framed in the PNRR PE5 CHANGES Spoke 5 is still ongoing and aims to uncover insights into plant usage and the vegetation history of the city across different periods.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
