Course Name: Archaeology & the Bible

Projects: 

Instructions:

a) Prepare a list of three biblical texts and/or passages (e.g., referring to a person, place, or event) which illuminated by archaeological evidence.

It should include the following information:

·         The full text of the passage with its reference.

·         A short description of how the text/passage is illuminated by archaeological evidence.

·         A list of at least three bibliographic sources consulted in developing your report on that particular text/passage.

·         An explanation of how this discovery has been beneficial to you personally and/or how you may use this information in your future ministry/work.

·         Reports will be evaluated on the basis of clarity, completeness, and compelling data.

PASSAGE

And they brought Him to the place Golgotha, which is translated, Place of a Skull. And they tried to give Him wine mixed with myrrh; but He did not take it. And they crucified Him, and divided up His garments among themselves, casting lots for them, to decide what each should take.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL CONNECTION

The bones of a man identified on the ossuary as “Yehohanan, son of Hagakol” were discovered in a tomb north of the Old City of Jerusalem. The bones of the feet were still pierced by an iron nail, indicating that the man had been crucified.

BIBLIOGRAPHICAL SOURCES

Haas, Nico. “Anthropological Observations on the Skeletal Remains from Giv’at ha-Mivtar,” Israel Exploration Journal 20:1–2 (1970): 38–59.

Fitzmeyer, Joseph. “Crucifixion in Palestine, Qumran Literature, and the New Testament.” Catholic Biblical Quarterly 40 (Oct 1978): 493–513.

Tzaferis, Vassilios. “Crucifixion: The Archaeological Evidence,” Biblical Archaeology Review 11 (Jan/Feb 1985): 44–53.

Yadin, Yigael. “Epigraphy and Crucifixion,” Israel Exploration Journal 23 (1973): 18–22. dZias, Joseph, and Eliezer Sekeles, “The Crucified Man from Givat ha-Mivtar: A Reappraisal,”         Biblical Archaeologist 48 (Sept 1985): 190–191.

 

USE OF THE INFORMATION

The remains of Jehohanan do more than simply confirm that crucifixion was a form of capital punishment practiced during the days of Jesus. They also shed light on the method of crucifixion, a subject the gospels do not elaborate on. The feet were placed on either side of the main beam of the cross, and an iron nail driven through the ankle into the cross. The arm bones showed abrasion marks, indicating that the nails pierced the arm prior to the wrist, rather than piercing the palm of the hand. Disks or “washers” made of olive-wood were placed between the head of the nail and the body to prevent the victim from pulling loose.