|
In Jerusalem for a visit in
1884, General Charles Gordon spied a prominent rocky crag which looked to
him like it could be the "place of the skull" mentioned in the
Bible as
where Jesus was crucified.
Around the corner Gordon identified an ancient tomb and putting the two
together he located the hill of crucifixion and the nearby burial place.
|
|
|
|
The skull (Golgotha shape)
|
|
 |
|
The slope has eroded badly in the last hundred years, but
some maintain they can still see the eye sockets and the nose bridge.
Regardless, it must be noted that while the Bible locates the crucifixion at
the "place of the skull," it never says that it was on a hill, nor that this
place bore the resemblance of a hill. It also could be asked if this hill
which resembles a skull looked the same 2000 years ago. |
|
|
|
|
While officially the
Garden Tomb Association only maintains this as a possible site for
Christ's burial, some tour guides of the site are very convinced. They note
the large cistern nearby, which proves the area must have been a garden in
Jesus' day. They maintain that there are marks of
Christian veneration at the tomb which also prove its sanctity throughout
the ages.
|
|
|
|
|
This is the place believed by many to be the resting
place of Jesus. Some archaeologists question the
authenticity of this tomb because typological features suggest that it is a
tomb originally hewn in the time of the Old Testament and not a "new tomb"
as specifically stated in Scripture. After being assisted by a dream which
helped him locate the site he eventually discovered an area now called
"Gordon’s Calvary", or the "Garden Tomb," a
site is believed by many Protestants to be the site of Crucifixion and
Resurrection. The serene and pastoral environment of the Garden Tomb makes
it an ideal place for meditation and worship. |
|
|
