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The Caiaphas ossuary is a highly decorated ossuary twice inscribed "Joseph, son of Caiaphas" which held the bones of a 60-year-old male. The limestone ossuary measures c. 37 cm (15 in) high by 75 cm (30 in) long and is housed in the Israel Museum , Jerusalem.
Learn about the ossuary of the high priest Caiaphas, who served as the head of the Sanhedrin in the first century CE and presided at Jesus' trial. The ossuary was discovered in 1990 in a cave near Jerusalem and bears his name and the name of his family. It contains the remains of five or six individuals, including a 60-year-old man who may be Joseph Caiaphas.
The Caiaphas Ossuary is an important archaeological find that has provided insight into the life and times of a biblical figure. It is a significant discovery that has sparked debate and has allowed researchers to better understand the role of Caiaphas in the trial and death of Jesus.
But even while standing outside, I could see four ossuaries, or bone boxes, in the central chamber of the cave. To an archaeologist, this was a clear indication that this was a Jewish burial cave from the Second Temple period, because ossuaries were used only in Jewish tombs during this period.
Of the dozen ossuaries found in this tomb, the Caiaphas ossuary was the most intricately carved (two circles with each containing five rosettes). The significance of this find is that it supports the historical existence of the biblical Caiaphas, who was the temple priest and who played a key role in Jesus' crucifixion.
In the embellished ossuary inscribed with the name “Yehosef bar Qayafa” were the bones of six different individuals: two infants, a child between the ages of two and five, a boy aged 13 to 18, an adult woman and a man about 60 years old. The latter, archaeologists believe, was the Caiaphas of the New Testament.
The Caiaphas ossuary is a highly decorated ossuary inscribed “Joseph, son of Caiaphas” which held the bones of a 60-year-old male. The limestone ossuary measures c. 37 cm (15 in) high by 75 cm (30 in) long and is housed in the Israel Museum in Jerusalem.
