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Evidence ID: HIS-EV39

Evidence: Crucifixion of Yohanan Ben Ha’galgol

Summary: Yohanan was crucified around 70 AD. His bones were discovered with a spike still intact. This discovery confirms that death by crucifixion in the first century involved spikes piercing the feet of the victim, thus fracturing the calf bones of the victim.

Description: Yohanan Ben Ha’galgol was crucified around 70 AD. His bones were discovered in Jerusalem with a spike still intact in the heel bone. Based on the skeletal remains of Yohanan Ben Ha’galgol the following observations are made in 1985 by Drs. Zias and Sekeles from the Israel Department of Antiquities and Museums [REF-JEH01]:

• A spike was driven through each heel bone. A spike and splinters of the Acadia wood were intact in the remains of one heel bone. The other heel bone and spike were not recovered. His feet were likely attached to both sides of the vertical beam, one foot on each side of the beam. This would explain why the recovered spike was driven laterally through the heel bone. See figure below.
  
  Click on Image to Enlarge
  Heel Bone and Nail from the Ossuary of Yohanan
• Based on visible scratches and smoothing marks near the radius and ulna bones of one wrist, it is thought that spikes were used to affix Yohanan to the crossbeam. The smoothing could have been caused by the upward motion of the victim's body on the cross to breathe. However, these scratches and smoothing marks are regarded as too faint and therefore do not definitively depict how the arms were affixed to the crossbeam. Yohanan's arms were affixed to the crossbeam by either spikes or rope.
• Both the right and left tibia and fibula bones were broken. The calf bones of the victim were likely broken by a single blow to each leg to hasten death.

These observations from the skeletal remains of Yohanan Ben Ha’galgol are consistent with the Shroud of Turin. Spikes were used to affix the feet of the victim to the vertical beam of the cross, and it was common practice to break the victim's legs to prevent the victim from moving his body upward to aid breathing, and hasten death.

* For more Shroud of Turin evidence regarding Jesus' death and resurrection, please visit the following: [HIS-EV53] [HIS-EV38] [HIS-EV52] [HIS-EV54] [HIS-IS42].

Resources:

• Jehohanan (REF-JEH01)

• Shroud of Turin (REF-SOT01)