Ossuary of Judah son of Jesus
Soft limestone, Aramaic
L: 54 cm
1980-501
The custom of reburying the bones of the deceased in ossuaries (Bone Boxes) was widespread among Jews of the late Second Temple period, particularly those living in Judea. On the ossuary, relatives would carve the names, lineage, place of origin, or profession of the interred in the spoken languages of the time - Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek. The ossuary exhibited here bears names familiar to us from the New Testament, suggesting that the names of Jesus, his relatives, and his disciples were commonly used by the local Jewish population.
Israeli, Yael, and Mevorach, David, Cradle of Christianity, The Israel Museum, Jerusalem, 2000, English / Hebrew
Cradle of Christianity, Israel Museum, Jerusalem, 28/03/2000 - 30/01/2001
