The marble slab on which it is believed Jesus lay after his crucifixion is being studied as part of a $4m restoration project at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.
According to the National Geographic, a partner in the project, the tomb, situated inside the Edicule in the Old City, has been exposed for the first time in centuries so that conservators from the National Technical University in Athens can continue their work.
Archaeologist Fredrik Hiebert told the magazine: “The marble covering of the tomb has been pulled back and we were surprised by the amount of fill material beneath it.”
