Have archaeologists uncovered the tomb of Jesus? A highly publicized new book (The Jesus Family Tomb by Simcha Jacobovici and Charles R. Pellegrino) and documentary (The Lost Tomb of Jesus, produced by James Cameron and directed by Jacobovici) claim to that effect. But perhaps even more compelling in the post–Da Vinci Code world is that ossuaries found in the tomb are said to have held the remains of not only Jesus but Mary Magdalene and “Judas, the son of Jesus.” One of the conclusions this team offers is that Jesus of Nazareth was married to Mary Magdalene, and that they had a son named Judas.The tomb at the center of the story was actually discovered in 1980 in Jerusalem's Talpiot neighborhood. (The BBC covered it in a documentary in 1996.) The filmmakers assert that it is the tomb of Jesus' family. The crypt contained 10 ossuaries, six of them with inscriptions. Four of them reportedly read "Jesus son of Joseph," two names for Mary, and "Judah the son of Jesus." The documentary will air Sunday, March 4, on the Discovery Channel.
Experts Dismiss Claims of finding Jesus Tomb (via insidebayarea.com)
Leading archaeologists in Israel and the United States on Tuesday denounced the purported discovery of the tomb of Jesus as a publicity stunt. Scorn for the Discovery Channel's claim to have found the burial place of Jesus, Mary Magdalene and, most explosively, their possible son came not just from Christian scholars but also from Jewish and secular experts who said their judgments were unaffected by any desire to uphold Christian orthodoxy.
"I'm not a Christian. I'm not a believer. I don't have a dog in this fight," said William Dever, who has been excavating ancient sites in Israel for 50 years and is widely considered the dean of biblical archaeology among U.S. scholars.
Jodi Magness, an archaeologist at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, expressed irritation that the claims were made at a news conference rather than in a peer-reviewed scientific article. By going directly to the media, she said, the filmmakers have set it up as if it's a legitimate academic debate, when the vast majority of scholars who specialize in archaeology of this period have flatly rejected this.
:: Official Website of The Lost Tomb of Jesus
:: Also read this informative blog post at Christendom Blog: The alleged ‘Jesus family tomb’ (written by Richard Bauckham)
Few more resources
Has James Cameron Found Jesus's Tomb or Is It Just a Statistical Error? : Scientific American
Says Scholar : Scientific American Blog Post
A Critical Look inside : vision
DNA and Statistics in 'Tomb of Jesus' Effectively Debunked : Playfuls
Jesus tales from the crypt : Time Middle East Blog
Newsweek focus on Jesus Tomb
Experts dismiss claim of finding Jesus' tomb : Inside Bay Area
Sinking Credibility: The Media and the Bones of Jesus : Christian Post
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