Jerusalem Discoveries from the Time of Jesus

The late Father Bargil Pixner’s well known proposals regarding the location of Jerusalem’s Essene Gate and the Church of the Apostles on Mt. Zion have received a measure of popular acceptance, including in the pages of BAR. This lecture offers an updated evaluation of Pixner’s theory in light of recent textual studies and the findings from […]

Recent events surrounding the “James ossuary” controversy and the discovery in the second Talpiot tomb of an image that is arguably one of “Jonah and the big fish” have sparked renewed consideration of the question of whether Jesus’ earliest followers left behind any distinctive archaeological remains. This lecture considers this century-old question and asks how […]

Since the public controversy over the Talpiot “Jesus” family tomb broke in 2007, much has happened behind the scenes. This presentation brings things up to date, examines what we know for certain about who may have been buried in the Talpiot tomb, and how new evidence is helping to separate mere speculation from solid historical […]

This lecture sorts through the major scientific, historical and archaeological issues related to the “James ossuary” controversy and the ongoing debate over its authenticity. We examine the variety of media and academic responses to the first-century bone box inscribed “James, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus,” and clarify what we know about the box and […]