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Discovering the tomb of Jesus, wife and son

28 February 2007

A SUBURB of Jerusalem is the unlikely location of the last resting place of Jesus of Nazareth. Not only that, his wife Mary Magdalene and his son “Judah” were entombed with him.

That’s the sensational claim made in a Discovery Channel documentary and reported all over the world. But what’s the scientific evidence behind it?

Mitochondrial DNA has been recovered from two ossuaries, which are inscribed with names but do not contain any bones. The documentary director, Simcha Jacobovici, says the analysis shows that the occupants of the boxes inscribed “Jesus” and “Mariamne” (said to be a name for Mary…

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