Crucifixion nails, supposedly relics from the crucifixion of Jesus Christ himself, have set off a storm of controversy about their legitimacy.
Simcha Jacobovici, a Canadian-Jewish filmmaker, has two bent and rusted iron nails that he claims are ancient relics discovered two decades ago at an archaeological dig in Jerusalem. In his upcoming documentary film "The Nails of the Cross," airing later this month on the History Channel, Jacobovici will attempt to prove that the nails were actually used to hammer Christ to the cross 2,000 years ago.
"What we are bringing to the world is the best archaeological argument ever made that two of the nails from the crucifixion of Jesus have been found," he said.
In 1990, two nails were discovered in a first century tomb a few miles to the south of Jerusalem's Old City. The nails were found with ossuaries, boxes containing ancient bones. Two of those boxes were labeled Caiaphas, which according to the New Testament was the name of the high priest who presided over Christ's crucifixion. Jacobovici believes Caiaphas may have wanted to be buried with the nails as divine protection in the afterlife.
The nails from the tomb were lost years ago, but Jacobovici claims he found them in a Tel Aviv lab where they've been studied by a forensic anthropologist for the last 15 years. According to Jacobovici, the Antiquities Authority sent the nails to the lab.
Jacobocici's claims are being met with plenty of skepticism by the scientific community. Gaby Barkay, an archeologist from Bar Ilan University in Tel Aviv, dismisses the nails as a likely hoax.
"There is no proof whatsoever that those nails came from the cave of Caiaphas," he said. "There is no proof that the nails are connected to any bones or any bone residue attached to the nails and no proof from textual data that Caiaphas had the nails for the crucifixion with him after the crucifixion took place and after Jesus was taken down from the cross."
Meanwhile, the Israel Antiquities Authority has said that nails are commonly found in tombs.
Previously, Jacobovici was involved in the production of a documentary claiming that Atlantis had been found in Spain. The film screened in 2010 on the National Geographic Channel.
Author: Greg Stacy | Source: Online Journal [April 15, 2011]
Simcha Jacobovici, a Canadian-Jewish filmmaker, has two bent and rusted iron nails that he claims are ancient relics discovered two decades ago at an archaeological dig in Jerusalem. In his upcoming documentary film "The Nails of the Cross," airing later this month on the History Channel, Jacobovici will attempt to prove that the nails were actually used to hammer Christ to the cross 2,000 years ago.
"What we are bringing to the world is the best archaeological argument ever made that two of the nails from the crucifixion of Jesus have been found," he said.
In 1990, two nails were discovered in a first century tomb a few miles to the south of Jerusalem's Old City. The nails were found with ossuaries, boxes containing ancient bones. Two of those boxes were labeled Caiaphas, which according to the New Testament was the name of the high priest who presided over Christ's crucifixion. Jacobovici believes Caiaphas may have wanted to be buried with the nails as divine protection in the afterlife.
The nails from the tomb were lost years ago, but Jacobovici claims he found them in a Tel Aviv lab where they've been studied by a forensic anthropologist for the last 15 years. According to Jacobovici, the Antiquities Authority sent the nails to the lab.
Jacobocici's claims are being met with plenty of skepticism by the scientific community. Gaby Barkay, an archeologist from Bar Ilan University in Tel Aviv, dismisses the nails as a likely hoax.
"There is no proof whatsoever that those nails came from the cave of Caiaphas," he said. "There is no proof that the nails are connected to any bones or any bone residue attached to the nails and no proof from textual data that Caiaphas had the nails for the crucifixion with him after the crucifixion took place and after Jesus was taken down from the cross."
Meanwhile, the Israel Antiquities Authority has said that nails are commonly found in tombs.
Previously, Jacobovici was involved in the production of a documentary claiming that Atlantis had been found in Spain. The film screened in 2010 on the National Geographic Channel.
Author: Greg Stacy | Source: Online Journal [April 15, 2011]