A knucklebone claimed to be of John the Baptist has been dated as first century AD by Oxford researchers. The new
(credit: Oxford University)
dating evidence supports claims that bones found under a church floor in Bulgaria may be of the leading prophet and relative of Jesus Christ as described in the Bible.
The research by the Oxford University team will be explored in a documentary ‘Head of John the Baptist’ to be aired in the UK on National Geographic Channel on Sunday 17 June.
Filed under archaeology
Evidence of the book eluded scholars, until now
Torleif Elgvin
The celebrated Dead Sea Scrolls, first discovered in 1948 in the caves adjacent to the ancient site of Khirbet Qumran near the Dead Sea, are known to represent the earliest known texts of almost every book of the Hebrew Bible, except for two — the Book of Esther and the Book of Nehemiah. Now, a Norwegian Dead Sea Scroll scholar has announced his discovery of a fragment of Nehemiah.
Filed under archaeology
By Damien Gayle
Louise Schofield at mine entrance
British archaeologists have struck gold with a discovery that may solve the mystery of where the Queen of Sheba unearthed her fabled treasures.
According to the Bible, the ruler of Sheba, which spanned modern-day Ethiopa and Yemen, travelled to King Solomon in Jerusalem, bringing 120 talents (four-and-half tons) of gold.
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By Michael Catt
Through the years, archeologists and even the Catholic Church have discovered “relics” from the time of Christ, even dating back to the Old Testament. The most famous find was the Dead Sea Scrolls, which have been recognized as one of the greatest archeological finds in history. Other “finds” are sadly ridiculous.
Jesus nailed to the cross by Gerard David, 1481
There are hundreds of cathedrals that claim to have the skull of Paul or Peter. There is a church in Ethiopia that claims to have the Ark of the Covenant. Such claims are too common to be believable.
Then there was the Shroud of Turin, which was supposedly the burial cloth of Jesus. Add to that statues that weep, the face of Jesus in a tortilla, and a host of other scams and aberrations and it becomes laughable.
Archeology can verify dating and locations. The archeological digs around Israel are incredible to observe. Relics from the Promised Land have to be verified by the government with a certificate of authenticity.
In my study, I have a jar that dates back to the time of Abraham. I have a teardrop bottle that dates to the time of Christ. I have coins from the time of Christ. I have a fishing weight taken from the Sea of Galilee that dates back to the first century. You can actually see the remains of a fishing boat from the time of Christ at the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee — it’s called “The Jesus Boat.” Not because it’s actually the boat or even a boat Jesus was on, but because it dates back to the time of Jesus.
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By Mark Ellis
Apollo 15 astronaut James Irwin had an encounter with God on the moon that left him a changed man. When he returned to Earth, he become a bold ambassador for Jesus Christ as he met with the leaders of many countries throughout the world.
"Noah's Ark" by Memberger, Residenzgalerie, Salzburg
Irwin also led multiple expeditions to Mt. Ararat in search of Noah’s Ark. If found, it would arguably be the greatest archeological discovery in history. Tragically, Irwin died of a sudden heart attack in 1991, with his quest to find the Ark unrealized.
Now his widow, Mary Irwin, is convinced she knows where the Ark is located – and where it’s not located.
Two years ago, she was interviewed for four hours by a team working on the National Georgraphic documentary production: “Truth behind the Ark.” After Mary viewed the documentary, she felt the title of their project was highly misleading.
“There was barely a shred of truth in any of it,” she notes. She feels that she and her son-in-law John – both devout Christians, were made to look like “fools” by a film with an agnostic bias. Apparently, the filmmakers believe the story of Noah’s Ark has its roots in Mesopotamian folklore. Continue reading
Filed under archaeology, Uncategorized
