Researchers Close in on Lost Location of Jesus’ Last Supper

One of the great historical quests in Biblical archaeology has been the search for the room in Jerusalem where Jesus shared his Last Supper with the apostles. Since traditional archaeological excavations have produced no useful evidence that might clear up this question, scholars have been forced to resort to other means to find clues that might help them find this legendary room, which has so much meaning to the larger Christian community (and to ancient historians in general).

While the exact location of the Last Supper room remains unknown, archaeologists who’ve dedicated themselves to the search believe they are closer than ever to finding the site. Their investigations are focusing on an ancient two-story structure that can be found on Mount Zion just outside the walls of Jerusalem’s Old City. This building that has long been alleged to be both the site of the tomb of the Biblical King David and the place where the Last Supper was served, with the lower floor covering the former and the Upper Room (known as the Cenacle, or “dining-room” in ancient Latin) associated with the latter.

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The Cenacle in Jerusalem, claimed to be the location of the Last Supper and Pentecost. (See The Holy Land/CC BY-SA 2.0)

In Search of the Last Supper: The Artwork Tells the Story

The story of the Last Supper, where Jesus broke bread with his apostles one last time before being arrested and crucified, is well-known to even casual Christians.

Sometime in the fourth century AD Christians started visiting the two-story house on Mount Zion with the limestone walls and sloped red roof, convinced for reasons unknown that the Upper Room or Cenacle was in fact the place where the Last Supper had taken place.

Intriguingly, several artworks dating to this same time period, or possibly earlier, also portrayed the Last Supper being shared by Jesus and his closest followers in this room.

At some point in the distant past, the Cenacle was used as a large prayer room, and could hold as many as 120 worshippers. In the Book of Luke 22:11-13 Jesus actually requested a room that matched the description of this one for his Passover meal with the apostles, which likely explains how the house on Mount Zion came to be identified with the Last Supper.

But complicating the search for proof that the Cenacle on Mount Zion was indeed the site of the Last Supper is the fact that archaeological digs are prohibited at this culturally and historically sensitive site. Such excavations could prove whether or not the deepest foundation of the structure (it has been renovated or rebuilt multiple times over the centuries) actually dates back to the time of Jesus.

Despite this limitation on the research that can be performed, a 2017 analysis by religious scholar David Christian Clausen from the University of North Carolina—Charlotte produced evidence linking the Cenacle to the Last Supper.

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The masonry of the Cenacle’s eastern wall demonstrates its “layered” history—from the Second Temple period through the Byzantine and Crusader periods to the Ottoman period. Visible on the right is the Dormition Abbey. (David C. Clausen/Biblical Archaeology)

In his study he analyzed a map of Jerusalem that was created in 560 AD. Discovered in 1884 by Greek Orthodox Christians constructing a new church in Jordan, this map depicted two sacred structures on the southern end of Jerusalem outside the city walls, each of which featured a red roof. Clausen noticed that the depictions on this map matched the location and the architectural style of the ancient two-story building that sits atop Mount Zion today, seemingly demonstrating that the original version of the current structure was built long ago and was identified as a holy place (as it would have been if the Last Supper had been served there).

This provided some solid circumstantial evidence suggesting that the Upper Room might be the Last Supper room. But this was obviously not enough to prove the case conclusively. However, two pieces of ancient artwork that have recently been reexamined provide more evidence to back up this assertion.

One of these pictures is a sixth-century drawing found in Italy in 1846 that shows Jesus riding through the southern gates of Jerusalem on the back of a donkey. In the background it is possible to spot a building that has been identified as an early version of the Cenacle, perched on top of Mount Zion. The story behind this drawing can be found in the Bible’s Book of Matthew, which tells of a visit by Jesus to Jerusalem (the city of Zion) on the back of a donkey that fulfilled an earlier prophecy.

The 6th century Madaba mosaic appears to show the structure in the right-hand corner of the map, next to Hagia Sion. (Biblical Archaeology)

The second piece of re-examined artwork is a fourth-century sculpture found in 1585 that shows Jesus with Mary Magdalene after he’d been crucified and risen from the dead. Once again, in the background it is possible to see the Cenacle, identifiable by its location and sloping red roof. In the Book of John it was said that Jesus returned to the room where he’d had the Last Supper shortly after his resurrection, which explains the Cenacle’s presence in this sculpture.

An Ancient Site, but How Ancient? Moving Closer to the Answer

In 2019, the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) launched a more extensive investigation of the site on Mount Zion, based on archaeologists’ growing interest in the possible link between the Upper Room and the Last Supper. They used laser scanning technology and photographic imaging techniques to create a three-dimensional model of the Cenacle, but with all the updates and renovations made to it over the centuries removed.

Nothing conclusive emerged from this study. But this procedure did allow researchers from the IAA to create a more detailed map of the ancient version of the building, and that revealed some interesting and previously hidden features. These included symbols on the ceiling that represented the Agnus Dei, or 'Lamb of God,' and the Lion of Judah.

“The lion was the symbol of King David,” explained the IAA’s chief archaeologist for the Jerusalem district, Amit Re'em, in a 2019 interview with Fox News.

The 3D modeling project carried out by the IAA showed that the current version of the Cenacle was constructed in the 12th century by Christian Crusaders, but was built on top of a fourth-century Byzantine church, with features from the latter being incorporated into the new structure. This building may have been constructed on top of another building that had been around since the time of Jesus, but without a more traditional excavation to explore the site this cannot be proven.

“From time to time, when we have an opportunity, we’re continuing to document other parts of the holy complex,” Re'em said. “I hope that maybe, in the future, we will have the opportunity to conduct a small-scale classical archaeological investigation.”

Even if this never happens, researchers will continue to search for clues about the true origins of the legend linking the Cenacle on Mount Zion to Jesus’ Last Supper. What they have discovered already is highly suggestive of a connection, and further investigations in libraries, archives, museums, and other locations where ancient artworks and historical records are kept could very well produce more evidence to verify the relationship. 

Top image: Vienna – Copy of Mosaic of Last supper by Leonardo da Vinci. Source: Renáta Sedmáková/Adobe Stock

By Nathan Falde