Expert: Ralph Salier - 4/12/2004

Question
Dear Ralph,
  
          I am interested in the following archaeological discovery:

In 1945 a family tomb was discovered in Jerusalem by Prof. E.L. Sukenik of the Museum of Jewish Antiquities of the Hebrew University. The ossuary boxes bore the name "Jesus" and had four large crosse drawn. Sukenik believed that the ossuary boxes dated to no later than the middle of the first century AD on the basis of pottery that he found and the shape of the Hebrew letters, This would mean that these were the earliest known depictions of the cross. However, the articles reporting this find are very old (Ancient Times, Vol. 3, No. 1, July 1958, p. 35. / Vol. 5, No. 3, March 1961, p. 13.) Is there any way of finding out what the latest archaeological thinking is on these ossuary boxes?

Thankyou for your time.

Answer
There is of course a great deal of contraversy about the name as inscribed.  If you go to www.google.com and put in "Sukenik, E L  ossuary box " in the search box.  Take a look at the various articles.  In addition take a look at the article located at www.bible.ca/D-crucifyJesus.htm and the article at
www.truthbeknown.com/ossuary.htm

More recent finds of 1st century ossuary boxes also have similar symbols but there is no proof of a Christian connection.  The crosses may only be an indication that the person intered was crucified by the Romans.