A 2,000-year-old box that is said to have contained the bones possibly belonging to Jesus’ brother James is on display in Atlanta, US. Discovered in Israel, it is now part of an exhibit at Pullman Yards featuring 350 artifacts from the time of Jesus, according to Daily Mail.
The ossuary, a limestone burial box, is inscribed with “James, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus” in Aramaic and is described by the exhibit as, “the most significant item from the time of Christ.” . The names’ correlation with Jesus of Nazareth‘s family members suggests the box potentially contained the remains of James the Just, who led Jerusalem’s Christian community after the crucifixion.
Discovered in 1976, the ossuary was was publicly revealed in 2002. It was owned by Oded Golan, who acquired it as a student in Israel . “I didn’t recognize its importance at all,” Golan said.
Ever since the discovery, the inscription’s authenticity has been debated. Golan was accused of forgery in 2003 but acquitted of the charges in 2013.
Addressing the forgery claims, Golan told Crosswalk Headlines last week, “We conducted several chemical tests, particularly on the inscription itself, which is the most critical element of the ossuary…We proved that the entire inscription is authentic—it was engraved several thousand years ago.” Thus, If genuine, it would be the oldest physical evidence of Jesus.
First-century Jewish burial practices involved placing bones in ossuaries after initial burial in caves. However, The James Ossuary is currently empty as the bones are said to be lost a long time ago.
A 2015 study explored a possible link between the ossuary and the Talpiot tomb in Jerusalem, thought by some to be Jesus’ family tomb. Chemical analysis revealed similarities between the ossuary and boxes found in the Talpiot tomb.
A 2017 discovery of a heretical text, “First Apocalypse of James,” also refers to James as Jesus’ brother, though “not materially.” This text is part of the Nag Hammadi library, a collection of Gnostic manuscripts.
James is believed to have been martyred, possibly by stoning in 62 AD or by being thrown from the Temple and clubbed in 69 AD.