Latest news with #Jacobovici
Daily Mirror
17-07-2025
- General
- Daily Mirror
Roman era nails found in unearthed burial tomb 'were used to crucify Jesus'
Nails supposedly used in the crucifixion of Jesus Christ were discovered in a burial cave in Jerusalem alongside two bone boxes inscribed with 'Caiaphas' - the high priest who played a key role in Jesus's execution In November 1990, archaeologists in south Jerusalem were taken aback as they discovered a burial cave containing 12 bone boxes, two of which bore the name 'Caiaphas' - the New Testament cites him as the high priest integral to Jesus' crucifixion. The find also included two Roman-era nails, with one nestled within a box and another lying on the ground beside an ossuary, hinting at first-century burial customs that involved interring individuals with items for their afterlife journey. Documentary maker Simcha Jacobovici suggested that Caiaphas, haunted by his part in condemning Jesus, might have wanted these iron pieces as companions for eternity. The nails then disappeared for roughly two decades until Jacobovici reopened the investigation, conducting a fruitless re-excavation of the tomb, followed by a detective mission on Amazon Prime's Decoding The Ancients. During the programme, he shared his perspective from 2004: "If my hunch is right, and the Israeli archaeologists who were involved in the Caiaphas tomb suspected that the Roman nails found there had something to do with crucifixion, maybe they sent them to Professor Hershkovitz' lab at Tel Aviv University. Now, he's a forensic anthropologist, he deals with bone, not nails, but crucifixion is where bone meets the nail." He aired further conjecture, postulating a promising direction for inquiry: "So maybe someone sent the nails there, maybe that's the right address for our investigation." Mr Jacobovici probed Professor Israel Hershkovitz with a pointed question: "We've been tracking two nails that went missing and the antiquities authority say it was probably misplaced, did you ever get two nails together?" To which Dr Hershkovitz admitted: "Yes, we have two nails together, yes from Jerusalem. These are the two nails from Jerusalem that arrived in the lab more than 15 years ago from the second temple period." An eager Mr Jacobovici pressed on: "Could it be 18 years ago?" And the Professor conceded: "Yeah, could be." Seizing on the moment, Mr Jacobovici asserted: "It's the only example of two nails arriving together and the fact that they're bent this way, would this be consistent with crucifixion?" Dr Hershkovitz provided further insight: "It could be, if you put the nail through the palm of the hand, you can easily free the hand. But if you put the nail through the palm of the hand, then stick it to the wood by bending the nail, the palm of the hands are attached to the crossbar. The fact that they are bent is more consistent with crucifixion than if they were straight." He also disclosed: "There are remnants of lime on one of the nails, that's what most ossuaries are made of." Nails 'came from Jesus' cross' Professor Hershkovitz was taken aback by a striking discovery: the crucifixion nails in his possession matched up with the only ones of their kind found globally, also residing in his lab. The series' narrator conveyed a sense of awe: "It seems there are the missing nails, the nails which came from Jesus' cross." The chamber tomb, unearthed by builders in November 1990, was nestled in the Peace Forest, merely a short distance from Jerusalem's North Talpiot area, reports the Mirror US. All That's Interesting noted that Caiaphas is believed to have delivered Jesus to the Romans for crucifixion in 33 A.D., and according to LiveScience, these same nails were initially discovered within a decorated ossuary in his burial place. Despite general scepticism among scholars regarding scriptural specifics, Caiaphas emerges as a reference of historical veracity. If the ossuary can indeed be linked to the infamous high priest, it would validate the New Testament account and provide a richer understanding of Jesus's historical context. However, controversy has hung over the ossuary since its revelation, with some experts questioning its relation to Caiaphas due to irregularities such as misspellings on the inscription, a lack of direct mention of his role as High Priest, and the grave's unassuming nature.
Irish Daily Mirror
17-07-2025
- General
- Irish Daily Mirror
'Missing nails from Jesus' crucifixion' unearthed in Jerusalem burial cave
In November 1990, archaeologists in south Jerusalem were taken aback when they discovered a burial cave containing 12 bone boxes, two of which bore the inscription 'Caiaphas' - the high priest who, according to the New Testament, had a crucial part in the crucifixion of Jesus. Alongside these ancient items were two Roman-era nails, one found within a box and another lying on the ground beside an ossuary. In those times, it was customary for individuals to be buried with items they deemed necessary for their journey to the afterlife. This discovery prompted filmmaker Simcha Jacobovici to suggest that Caiaphas, possibly haunted by his involvement in condemning Jesus, wished to take these iron artefacts with him into eternity. However, these nails disappeared for almost two decades until Mr Jacobovici resumed the investigation, leading an unsuccessful re-excavation of the tomb and later following their trail during an episode of Amazon Prime's Decoding The Ancients. On the programme, he presented his hypothesis in 2004: "If my hunch is right, and the Israeli archaeologists who were involved in the Caiaphas tomb suspected that the Roman nails found there had something to do with crucifixion, maybe they sent them to Professor Hershkovitz' lab at Tel Aviv University. Now, he's a forensic anthropologist, he deals with bone, not nails, but crucifixion is where bone meets the nail." The High Priest Caiaphas as depicted in the TV show The Chosen (Image: THE CHOSEN) He further speculated on a potential lead: "So maybe someone sent the nails there, maybe that's the right address for our investigation." Mr Jacobovici probed Professor Israel Hershkovitz with a pointed question: "We've been tracking two nails that went missing and the antiquities authority say it was probably misplaced, did you ever get two nails together?" To which Dr Hershkovitz admitted: "Yes, we have two nails together, yes from Jerusalem. These are the two nails from Jerusalem that arrived in the lab more than 15 years ago from the second temple period." An eager Mr Jacobovici swiftly followed up: "Could it be 18 years ago?" The Professor conceded: "Yeah, could be." Seizing on this, Mr Jacobovici put forth: "It's the only example of two nails arriving together and the fact that they're bent this way, would this be consistent with crucifixion?" Mary Magdalene witnessed Christ's crucifixion and resurrection (Image: Getty) Dr Hershkovitz expanded on the point: "It could be, if you put the nail through the palm of the hand, you can easily free the hand. But if you put the nail through the palm of the hand, then stick it to the wood by bending the nail, the palm of the hands are attached to the crossbar. The fact that they are bent is more consistent with crucifixion than if they were straight." He also disclosed: "There are remnants of lime on one of the nails, that's what most ossuaries are made of." Nails 'came from Jesus' cross' Professor Hershkovitz made an astonishing revelation, reports the Mirror US, when he discovered that the nails corresponded with the sole crucifixion nails discovered globally, which are also stored in his laboratory. The programme's narrator declared with dramatic flair: "It seems there are the missing nails, the nails which came from Jesus' cross." Construction workers uncovered the chamber tomb in November 1990, situated in the Peace Forest, mere metres from the North Talpiot neighbourhood. All That's Interesting documented that Caiaphas allegedly delivered Jesus to Roman authorities for crucifixion in 33 A.D. LiveScience reported that the nails were initially discovered inside an elaborate ossuary within his burial chamber. Even amongst academics who routinely question biblical accounts, Caiaphas remains recognised as a historically authentic figure. If the ossuary genuinely belonged to the high priest and connects to him, it would validate the New Testament account whilst enhancing our understanding of Jesus' historical context. However, since the tomb's original discovery, certain scholars have questioned its connection to Caiaphas. Their doubts stem from several concerns - irregularities in the inscription's spelling, lack of any clear mention of his position as High Priest, and particularly, the burial location's modest nature.
