The garden of Joseph of Arimathea was situated near the gate of
Bethlehem, at about a seven minutes' walk from Calvary: it was a very
fine garden, with tall trees, banks, and thickets in it, which gave
much shade, and was situated on a rising ground extending to the walls
of the city.14 A person coming from the northern side of the valley,
and entering the garden, had on his left hand a slight ascent extending
as far as the city wall; and on his right, at the end of the garden, a
detached rock, where the cave of the sepulchre was situated. The grotto
in which it was made looked to the east; and on the south-western and
north-western sides of the same rock were two other smaller sepulchres,
which were also new, and with depressed fronts. A pathway, beginning on
the western side of this rock, ran all round it. The ground in front of
the sepulchre was higher than that of the entrance, and a person
wishing to enter the cavern had to descend several steps. The cave was
sufficiently large for four men to be able to stand close up to the
wall on either side without impeding the movements of the bearers of
the body. Opposite the door was a cavity in the rock, in which the tomb
was made; it was about two feet above the level of the ground, and
fastened to the rock by one side only, like an altar: two persons could
stand, one at the head and one at the foot; and there was a place also
for a third in front, even if the door of the cavity was closed. This
door was made of some metal, perhaps of brass, and had two folding
doors. These doors could be closed by a stone being rolled against
them; and the stone used for this purpose was kept outside the cavern.
Immediately after our Lord was placed in the sepulchre it was rolled in
front of the door. It was very large, and could not be removed without
the united effort of several men. Opposite the entrance of the cavern
there stood a stone bench, and by mounting on this a person could climb
on to the rock, which was covered with grass, and from whence the city
walls, the highest parts of Mount Sion, and some towers could be seen,