The ossuary of "Miriam daughter of Yeshua son of Caiaphas, priest [of] Maʻaziah from BethʼImri
The Israel Antiquities Authority recently acquired a limestone decorated ossuary purportedly from a burial cave in the area of the ’Elah Valley. An inscription, incised on the front of the ossuary, reads: HHH מרים ברת ישוע בר קיפא כהנמ מעזיה מבית אמרי hhh (‘Miriam daughter of Yeshua son of Caiaphas,...
| Authors: | ; |
|---|---|
| Format: | Print Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
|
| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Soc.
2011
|
| In: |
Israel exploration journal
Year: 2011, Volume: 61, Issue: 1, Pages: 74-95 |
| Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains: | B
Hebrew language
/ Inscription
|
| Further subjects: | B
Ossuary
B Grave B Funeral |
| Summary: | The Israel Antiquities Authority recently acquired a limestone decorated ossuary purportedly from a burial cave in the area of the ’Elah Valley. An inscription, incised on the front of the ossuary, reads: HHH מרים ברת ישוע בר קיפא כהנמ מעזיה מבית אמרי hhh (‘Miriam daughter of Yeshua son of Caiaphas, priests of Ma’aziah from Beth ’Imri’). The script is formal, of the style common in ossuary inscriptions in Jerusalem of the late Second Temple period. On palaeographic grounds, it should be dated to the late first century BCE or to the first century CE. The prime importance of the inscription lies in the reference to the ancestry of the deceased—the well known family of Caiaphas priests active in the first century CE. No less significant is the lineage of Caiaphas—from the priestly course of Ma’aziah (the last of the 24 priestly courses that served in the Temple in Jerusalem) which belonged to the House of ’Immēr/Amaryāh. This is the first reference to this course in epigraphic finds from the Second Temple period. The article discusses whether Beth ’Imri, the place of origin of the deceased, is a toponym or the name of a priestly family: House of ’AImmēr/Amaryāh, which might had been named after the House of ’AImmēr/Amaryāh, which settled there. The relatively careless execution of the design suggests that this ossuary was produced in a Judaean workshop and can be dated to 70--135 CE, a dating supported by two pottery oil-lamps apparently found in the burial cave and typical of the period between the two Jewish revolts against Rome. Since the ossuary in question was not found in a controlled excavation and due to its importance, it was subjected to scientific analyses in order to address the question of authenticity. The examinations focused on the patina coating the stone surface, with emphasis on the inscribed area. The patination of the stone, in and around the inscription, indicates a complex process that occurred over a prolonged sequence of time, which is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to replicate in laboratory conditions. It may be concluded, therefore, that the patina and the inscription should be considered authentic beyond any reasonable doubt. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 0021-2059 |
| Contains: | In: Israel exploration journal
|