James Ossuary

Nobody doubts that this limestone ossuary (bone depository) dates to approximately the first century CE, and most agree that it came from the area around Jerusalem. But the authenticity of an inscription carved on its side is one of the most hotly debated topics in biblical archaeology. The Aramaic inscription translates "James, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus." Thus, this might be the ossuary that held the bones of Jesus' brother, the leader of the Jerusalem Church following Jesus' crucifixion. This would be the most tangible artifact related to Jesus discovered to date. However, it might be too good to be true. The ossuary's owner, Oded Golan, claims he bought it in the 1970's from an antiquities dealer in Jerusalem and didn't realize that it contained an inscription until decades later. The inscription was made public in 2002, and while a few experts claim it might be authentic, most believe it to be a forgery. The debate illustrates a major problem for archaeology: the illicit removal and trade of ancient artifacts to private collectors. If such an ossuary were found in its original archaeological context, its authenticity would be undeniable.

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