"James Son of Joseph, Brother of Jesus" Verdict

As it arrived in Toronto the staff at the Royal Ontario Museum opened the crate and to the horror of those present realized that the ossuary had broken on it's journey from Israel. The ossuary inscribed "James son of Joseph, brother of Jesus" is believed by some to be the only archaeological evidence of Jesus of Nazarath though the three names in the inscription are common.

Back in Israel the police were investigating the ossuary's owner artifacts collector Oded Golan until in 2004 then the police layed their charges and seized the ossuary which they found on a toilet in Mr. Golan's home. Experts are at odds with the ossuary with some claiming it's inscription as a forgery while other point to a patina within the inscription that proves it is old still others believe that part of the inscription is new.


After a turbulent decade Mr. Golan has been found not guilty of forging the inscriptions on the ossuary and the 3000 year old Jehoash tablet which records restorations to the first temple by king Jehoash. Mr. Golan has long held that he had purchased the pieces from Arab dealers and that he did not forge the inscriptions.

Photo:Paradiso, The James ossuary was at the Royal Ontario museum from November 15 2002 to January 5 2003