Jesus in History - Archaeology: Johanan - The Crucified Man |
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| In 1968 an ossuary (coffin for bones) was found in Jerusalem with the name Johanan on it. Inside were the bones of a man who had been crucified. The heel bone had an iron nail through it and the legs had been broken. |
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Jesus Video Image used by kind permission |
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Crucifixion was invented by the Romans as a slow and painful way to kill people. The victim was stripped and laid on the ground with his arms spread on the cross bar. He would be either tied to it or fixed with a nail through his wrists. (The word used in the Bible can mean 'wrist'- the nails did not go through Jesus hands). The cross was then pulled up and the victim's feet nailed. He had to push on his nailed feet to breathe - until he was too tired, and suffocated. A victim could take days to die, and the legs were often broken to finish them off. Many of these details are given in the Bible's description of Jesus' death. |
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