Jerusalem is the only city in the world where the three monotheistic religions and two competing national identities are based on a shared ancient heritage. For the last 150 years, this holy city was the target of research for numerous scholars of different identities, religions, and faiths, resulting in a spate of studies and interpretations. In the last twenty years, several comprehensive volumes summarizing the archaeological and historical data on Jerusalem have been published.

To what extent was and is modern archaeological research affected by the city’s centrality for Judaism, Christianity, and Islam? How does sanctity affect scientific research, and are the two compatible? Do collective memory, religion, and national affiliation impede the study of the city’s physical and cultural remains? What is the role of archaeologists, architects, and art historians in the documentation, interpretation, and presentation of ancient, medieval, and modern Jerusalem? Does our fieldwork substantiate the known historical sequences and reality of the city? Is there a single reality or are there several competing realities?

The case of Jerusalem lends itself particularly well to the examination of the dual commitment of archaeologists to their professional standards on one hand, and to their religious, ethnic, or national identity on the other. Based on several case studies regarding the exploration of some of the main religious monuments of Jerusalem, we believe that the scholarly perspective of research and interpretation was not hampered or biased by religious or national agendas.