Evidence of Joseph’s rule in Egypt
Egypt’s Al Ahram newspaper has reported that archaeologists have discovered what they describe as “ancient Egyptian coins” bearing the name and image of Joseph in the collection of the Museum of Egypt in Cairo (“Archeologists find ‘Joseph-era’ coins in Egypt”, Jerusalem Post, 25 September 2009[1]).
Although the Al Ahram report states that: “A thorough examination revealed that the coins bore the year in which they were minted and their value, or effigies of the pharaohs [who ruled] at the time of their minting” and, “Some of the coins are from the time when Joseph lived in Egypt, and bear his name and portrait”, it seems unlikely that the objects are coins in the sense of minted currency. Minted coinage was unknown in the ancient world until at least the seventh century BC, and what is described as “money” in the early books of the Bible usually refers to a standard weight of a precious metal such as silver (The Illustrated Bible Dictionary, v. 2, p. 1019–1020).
It is probable that the artefacts are ornaments of some kind, and if Joseph’s name appears on some of these objects this is certainly a significant find that verifies the biblical account. The story of Joseph in Egypt is retold in the Koran (ch 12) with some significant additions, omissions and deviations from the biblical record, but as Moslems, Egyptian archaeologists would seem to have little reason to publicise evidence that confirms Jewish historical links with the Middle East.
At time of writing, however, there has been no acknowledgement or discussion of the report by the reputable scholarly community.
Administrative centre from the period of King Hezekiah
Archaeologists have discovered the remains of a “luxurious” administrative centre from the period of King Hezekiah at Kibbutz Ramat Rachel, south of Jerusalem (Hillel Fendel, “Remains from period of King Hezekiah discovered”, Israelnationalnews. com, 9 August 2009[2]). Among the findings unearthed at the site are a large quantity of imprinted pitcher handles, assumed to be from vessels used for oil and wine. Researchers believe that agricultural produce was stored at the administrative centre as taxes to be given to foreign rulers.
It appears that the centre also included a complex of palace buildings that was used from the reign of King Manasseh until the exile and then for at least another two hundred years after the return to Zion and into the Hellenistic period. During the Hasmonean period, however, the centre was destroyed and replaced by a village that shows evidence of ritual baths in private homes and other features of contemporary Jewish life.
Fragments of a burial shroud from the time of Christ
Analysis of DNA taken from the remains of a man discovered in a tomb near the Old City of Jerusalem “shows him to be the first human proven to have suffered from leprosy”, say researchers from the Hebrew University and North American and British institutions (Judy Siegel-Itzkovich, “Remains in 2,000-year-old tomb near Old City show first known case of leprosy”, Jerusalem Post, 15 December 2009[3]). As the origins and development of leprosy are largely obscure, the researchers believe that these results fill a vital gap in our knowledge of the disease.
According to The Jerusalem Post report, “The burial cave, known as the Tomb of the Shroud, is located in the lower Hinnom Valley near the Jaffa Gate and part of a first century CE cemetery known as Akeldama, or ‘Field of Blood’ (mentioned in the Book of Matthew 27:3–8, and Acts 1:19 in the Christian Bible). It is located adjacent to the spot where Judas is said to have committed suicide. The tomb of the shrouded man is also located next to the tomb of Annas, the high priest (6 CE to 15 CE), who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest who betrayed Jesus to the Romans. It is thus believed that this shrouded man was either a priest or a member of the aristocracy.”
What is also most interesting is that fragments of the burial shroud were found with the remains of this man. It appears that he did not receive a second burial (probably because of his leprosy) as was usual at that time, when the bones were removed and placed in an ossuary, or stone box.
This burial shroud is also very different to the Turin Shroud, which it is claimed was used to wrap the body of Jesus after his crucifixion. The Jerusalem Post reports that textile historian Dr Orit Shamir has demonstrated that the leprous man’s burial shroud is made up of a simple two-way weave, quite unlike the complex weave of the Turin Shroud. This has led the researchers to “conclude that the Turin Shroud did not originate from Jesusera Jerusalem”, says The Jerusalem Post.
References
[1] http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost%2FJ PArticle%2FShowFull&cid=1253820674074
[2] http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/132808
[3] http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1260894117527& pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull