Who was “The Crucified Man” in archaeology?
The Discovery Of Yohanan
In 1968, building contractors working in a Jewish neighborhood in East Jerusalem discovered a Jewish tomb belonging to a man who was put to death in the first century. Inscribed on the ossuary (bone box) that was found was the name “Jehohanan (Yohanan) the son of Hagkol”. The discovery of this young man’s remains provided the first physical evidence of the cruel punishment practiced by the Romans hundreds of years ago known as crucifixion. Yohanan, who was in his mid twenties when he was killed, has since became known as “The Crucified Man”.
What Is Crucifixion?
Crucifixion was used as a form of punishment in which a person was nailed or tied to a wooden beam and left to die. The victims would usually die from asphyxiation. The Roman Empire was the most famous for using this form of the death penalty. However, they were not the only ones in history to do so. The Persians, Macedonians, and sometimes the Greeks used it.
The Jewish historian Josephus and several others refer to thousands of people being crucified at the hands of the Romans. The most well-known by far is Jesus Christ.
The bodies of the crucified were most often left to decay while hanging. Because of this, little evidence was left to be discovered that would provide physical proof of these individuals being crucified.
The Ossuary Of The Crucified Man
The ossuary of “The Crucified Man” contained a heel bone with a nail driven through the side of it. The point of the nail was bent and contained fragments of olive wood on it. It is thought the bend in the nail was the result of hitting a knot in the wood as Yohanan was being nailed to the cross. The world of archaeology now has some physical proof to go along with what history tells us about the practice of crucifixion.
Jesus was born to die for us, and he did so willingly. The way he was killed could not have been a more cruel way to die. Finding a heel bone with a spike drove through it that dates back to the same time period as our Savior makes the kind of painful death Jesus suffered all the more real.
