'Alexander Son of Simon' Ossuary (Cyrene Tomb)
A bone box from a tomb of Cyrenian Jews that may name the son of Simon who carried the cross
Found 1941 — Eleazar Sukenik and Nahman Avigad (Hebrew University), in a tomb in the Kidron Valley; published by Avigad in 1962
Where Kidron Valley, Jerusalem (Israel)
Dates from 1st century CE (before 70 CE) · Early Roman · Crucifixion of Yeshua; Cyrenian Jews in Jerusalem
Now at Israel Antiquities Authority collections (Rockefeller Museum storage)
Names a biblical person Simon of Cyrene, Alexander (identification with Mark 15:21 family possible, not certain)
How 'Alexander Son of Simon' Ossuary (Cyrene Tomb) was found
A rock-cut tomb on the slope of the Kidron Valley yielded eleven ossuaries with Greek and Hebrew names typical of Jews from Cyrene in North Africa (one woman is called 'the Cyrenian'). One ossuary is inscribed in Greek 'Alexandros (son) of Simon' and on its lid in Hebrew 'Alexandros QRNYT', probably 'the Cyrenian'.
What it is
A plain limestone ossuary with scratched Greek inscriptions naming Alexander son of Simon, and a Hebrew notation on the lid that most read as 'the Cyrenian'. The tomb's other names (Sara, Thaliarchos, Isaac, Philiskos) suggest one extended family from Cyrene.
Why it matters for the Bible
Mark 15:21 names Simon of Cyrene as 'the father of Alexander and Rufus', an odd detail unless Mark's readers knew the sons. This ossuary shows a Cyrenian Jewish family in Jerusalem with exactly the pairing Simon and Alexander. The names were common, so it may be a coincidence — but it is a striking one, and Acts 6:9 confirms a Cyrenian community in the city.
The Hebrew word: na-SA
נָשָׂא
נָשָׂא is pronounced na-SA and means to lift, carry, bear — as Simon bore the crossbeam (Strong's H5375).
People this discovery connects to
- Simon of Cyrene — שִׁמְעוֹן הַקּוּרִינִי (Shim-ON ha-Koo-ree-NEE) — Simon ('heard') from Cyrene, Libya
Places
- Cyrene — קוּרִינִי (Koo-ree-NEE) — Greek city in Libya with a large Jewish community
Events
Simon of Cyrene carries the cross · Synagogue of the Cyrenians in Jerusalem (Acts 6:9)
'Alexander Son of Simon' Ossuary (Cyrene Tomb) in Scripture
Matthew 27:32 First mention of Simon of Cyrene in Scripture.
Mark 15:21 'Simon of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus' — the ossuary names an Alexander son of Simon, apparently a Cyrenian.
Acts 6:9 The synagogue of the Cyrenians in Jerusalem — the community this tomb belonged to.
Questions people ask
What is 'Alexander Son of Simon' Ossuary (Cyrene Tomb)?
A plain limestone ossuary with scratched Greek inscriptions naming Alexander son of Simon, and a Hebrew notation on the lid that most read as 'the Cyrenian'. The tomb's other names (Sara, Thaliarchos, Isaac, Philiskos) suggest one extended family from Cyrene.
When was 'Alexander Son of Simon' Ossuary (Cyrene Tomb) discovered?
It was found in 1941 by Eleazar Sukenik and Nahman Avigad (Hebrew University), in a tomb in the Kidron Valley; published by Avigad in 1962, at Kidron Valley, Jerusalem.
Where is 'Alexander Son of Simon' Ossuary (Cyrene Tomb) today?
Israel Antiquities Authority collections (Rockefeller Museum storage).
Which Bible verses does 'Alexander Son of Simon' Ossuary (Cyrene Tomb) relate to?
Matthew 27:32, Mark 15:21, Acts 6:9.
Is 'Alexander Son of Simon' Ossuary (Cyrene Tomb) authentic?
The ossuary and tomb are genuine and 1st-century. The link to Mark's Simon of Cyrene is possible but unprovable; Alexander and Simon were both very common names.
Related discoveries
- יָדAbsalom's Pillar and the Kidron Valley TombsMonumental Second Temple tombs Yeshua would have seen from the Mount of Olives
- כֹּהֲנִיםTomb of the Bene Hezir Priestly InscriptionA Hasmonean-era rock tomb in the Kidron naming a family of priests from the biblical course of Hezir
- יֵשׁוּעַThe Talpiot Tomb ('Jesus Family Tomb')A first-century family tomb with common names that a 2007 film claimed held Yeshua's family
- מַעַזְיָהMiriam Daughter of Yeshua OssuaryLooted ossuary naming 'Miriam daughter of Yeshua son of Caiaphas, priest of Maaziah from Beth Imri'
- שַׁעַר נִיקָנוֹרNicanor OssuaryBone box of 'Nicanor of Alexandria who made the gates' of the Temple
- כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹלCaiaphas OssuaryOrnate bone box inscribed 'Yehosef bar Kayafa' from a priestly family tomb
Sources
- Avigad, 'A Depository of Inscribed Ossuaries in the Kidron Valley', IEJ 12 (1962)
- Evans, Jesus and the Ossuaries (2003)
Open 'Alexander Son of Simon' Ossuary (Cyrene Tomb) in Hebrew Explorer →