Was Saint Peter buried under the altar of Saint Peter's Basilica?

Actually, the Basilica was built over the tomb of Saint Peter, not the reverse. Perhaps no tomb in history has been more thoroughly excavated and studied than that of the first pope of the Catholic Church. For nearly 2000 years pilgrims have made the trek to the site of Peter's burial in Rome. A number of excavations over the centuries have been inconclusive until Pope Paul VI was able in 1968 to announce that the bones of Peter had finally been identified. To read a brief history of the search for the tomb of Saint Peter click on this link.

Professor Margherita Guarducci is a distinguished Italian archaeologist whose impressive scientific works upon the epigraphy of the excavations beneath St. Peter's in Rome have created wide interest and comment. Her thorough investigation and analysis of the evidence of Saint Peter's tomb can be read at this link.