Miriam Daughter of Yeshua Ossuary
Looted ossuary naming 'Miriam daughter of Yeshua son of Caiaphas, priest of Maaziah from Beth Imri'
Found 2011 — Seized from looters by the Israel Antiquities Authority theft-prevention unit; published by Boaz Zissu and Yuval Goren (Israel Exploration Journal 61, 2011)
Where Unknown tomb, likely Judean foothills (Valley of Elah region) (Israel)
Dates from 1st century CE (before 70 CE) · Early Roman · Generation after Caiaphas
Now at Israel Antiquities Authority
Names a biblical person Caiaphas (unprovenanced (seized from looters); names Caiaphas family)
How Miriam Daughter of Yeshua Ossuary was found
Robbers had taken it from a tomb, probably in the Valley of Elah area west of Jerusalem. Laboratory study of the patina inside the letters by Goren showed the inscription is ancient, not a modern addition.
What it is
A plain limestone ossuary with a long Aramaic inscription: 'Miriam daughter of Yeshua son of Caiaphas, priest of Maaziah from Beth Imri.' Maaziah is the 24th priestly course of 1 Chronicles 24:18; Beth Imri is either a family or a village name.
Why it matters for the Bible
It independently confirms that 'Caiaphas' was a real priestly family name and ties it to the course of Maaziah, something no ancient text had told us. It supports reading the 1990 Talpiot ossuary as the high priest's. Because it was looted, its findspot is lost, so it is listed as unprovenanced even though the inscription tested as genuine.
The Hebrew word: Ma-az-YAH
מַעַזְיָה
מַעַזְיָה is pronounced Ma-az-YAH and means Maaziah, 'consolation of YHVH' — the 24th priestly course (Strong's H4590).
People this discovery connects to
- Caiaphas — קַיָּפָא (Ka-YA-fa) — family name of the high priest; Greek Kaiaphas (G2533)
Places
- Jerusalem — יְרוּשָׁלַיִם (Ye-roo-shah-LAH-yim) — foundation of peace
Events
Priestly courses serving the Temple · Caiaphas' high priesthood
Miriam Daughter of Yeshua Ossuary in Scripture
1 Chronicles 24:18 Lists Maaziah as the twenty-fourth priestly division — the course named on this ossuary.
Matthew 26:3 First mention of Caiaphas in Scripture.
Luke 1:5 Shows the priestly courses still operating in the Gospel era (Zechariah of the course of Abijah).
Questions people ask
What is Miriam Daughter of Yeshua Ossuary?
A plain limestone ossuary with a long Aramaic inscription: 'Miriam daughter of Yeshua son of Caiaphas, priest of Maaziah from Beth Imri.' Maaziah is the 24th priestly course of 1 Chronicles 24:18; Beth Imri is either a family or a village name.
When was Miriam Daughter of Yeshua Ossuary discovered?
It was found in 2011 by Seized from looters by the Israel Antiquities Authority theft-prevention unit; published by Boaz Zissu and Yuval Goren (Israel Exploration Journal 61, 2011), at Unknown tomb, likely Judean foothills (Valley of Elah region).
Where is Miriam Daughter of Yeshua Ossuary today?
Israel Antiquities Authority.
Which Bible verses does Miriam Daughter of Yeshua Ossuary relate to?
1 Chronicles 24:18, Matthew 26:3, Luke 1:5.
Is Miriam Daughter of Yeshua Ossuary authentic?
Recovered from looters, so its tomb is unknown. Patina tests by Yuval Goren indicate the inscription is ancient and authentic.
Related discoveries
- כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹלCaiaphas OssuaryOrnate bone box inscribed 'Yehosef bar Kayafa' from a priestly family tomb
- כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹלSt Peter in Gallicantu and the 'House of Caiaphas'Mount Zion's Byzantine church, rock-cut cells and the 'sacred pit'
- טָהֳרָהHerodian Quarter and the Palatial MansionWealthy priestly homes of the Upper City with mosaics, frescoes and ritual baths
- יֵשׁוּעַThe Talpiot Tomb ('Jesus Family Tomb')A first-century family tomb with common names that a 2007 film claimed held Yeshua's family
- שַׁעַר נִיקָנוֹרNicanor OssuaryBone box of 'Nicanor of Alexandria who made the gates' of the Temple
- תָּלָהYehohanan's Crucified Heel BoneThe only physical remains of a Roman crucifixion victim from Judea, with the iron nail still in place
Sources
- Zissu & Goren, 'The Ossuary of Miriam Daughter of Yeshua Son of Caiaphas, Priests [of] Maaziah from Beth Imri', IEJ 61 (2011)
- Rollston, 'The Ossuary of Mariam Daughter of Yeshua in Context'