Tomb of Jesus and His Family?: Exploring Ancient Jewish Tombs Near Jerusalem's Walls

About twenty-five years ago archaeologists discovered a tomb near Jerusalem that contained a family's ossuaries -- limestone bone boxes commonly used in ancient Near Eastern burial customs -- inscribed with some familiar New Testament names: Mary, Joseph, James, Mary Magdalene, and Jesus. The Discovery Channel produced a film investigating "The Lost Tomb of Jesus," raising interest among the public and specialists alike. Could this actually be the tomb of Jesus and his family? In January 2008 an international congress of scholars met in Jersualem to discuss this question. This volume presents their findings. Covering the archaeological facts about this discovery, Jewish burial customs during the late Second Temple period, first-century inscriptions, the Talpiot tomb, the James ossuary, the Holy Sepulcher, Hazon Gabriel, and beliefs about burial and the afterlife within Second Temple Judaism, these essays offer expert perspectives on a much-publicized topic.