All posts tagged: The crucifixion

Raising of the cross by Peter Paul Ruben (1577-1640) Credit: Wikipedia

A 2,000 year old skeleton discovered showing evidence of crucifixion

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Though the Bible and several other ancient historical documents talk about crucifixion as a brutal form of Roman execution, there has been very little archaeological evidence found of this ancient practice. However, a group of Italian researchers discovered that a skeleton of man uncovered in Northern Italy in 2007 was probably crucified. If this proves correct, it will be only the second example found revealing the brutal form of punishment used by the Romans to execute criminals. The first one was found in 1968 while excavating a Jerusalem cemetery connected  with the second Jewish temple (2 BC t0 70 Ad). In an ossuary used to store the bones of the deceased, they discovered a man with a nail in his heel. There was also a fragment from the olive tree used for the cross attached to the nail. Because the metal nails were so valuable, the Roman typically pulled them out after the person had died. This is part of the reason, it is difficult to determine if a person was crucified. In this case, …

Remarkable discovery confirms the Bible’s crucifixion account

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[by Dean Smith] While the Bible provides a first-hand account of the crucifixion of Christ, some have discredited the story as being little more than fabrication. However, the discovery of a crucified man in a tomb outside of Jerusalem in 1968 tossed cold water on these opinions. The discovery was made by Jewish archaeologist Vassilios Tzaferis. He found the bones of a crucified man in an ossuary or burial box in a tomb.  After death, bodies were wrapped in cloth and laid out on shelves in the tomb. After decomposition, family members transferred the bones to an ossuary — small boxes (16 inches to 28 inches long). The name on this box was “Yehohanan son of Hagakol.” He was a 25 to 30-year-old man and based on the tomb contents from a wealthy family. The tomb was dated to the first century AD, sometime before 70 AD, which made Yehohanan a contemporary of Jesus. Because of the family’s wealth, they suspect the Romans crucified him for rebellious activities instead of criminal. The crucifixion style It …