For the location of the cave in the first-century town, see Shemaryahu Gutman and A. Berman, “Bethléem,” Revue biblique 77 (1970), pp. 583–585. The excavation of the cave is reported by Benjamin Baggati, “Recenti Scavi a Betlemme,” Liber Annuus 18 (1968), pp. 181–237.