An extraordinary exhibit titled "Discovering the World of Jesus: Ancient Treasures from the Holy Land" opened on December 3 at Pullman Yards in Atlanta, showcasing stories and artifacts from 2,000 years ago.
The exhibition features over 350 artifacts from the private collection of Oded Golan, an Israeli engineer and antiquities collector, promising visitors a visceral journey through the time of Jesus, from His birth to the Resurrection.
Among the exhibit's highlights are ossuaries attributed to James, the brother of Jesus, and the priest Zacharias, believed to be the father of John the Baptist. The collection includes objects such as lamps, sandals, coins, and stone vessels thought to resemble the cup used during the Last Supper.
Golan remarked, “We have the earliest images of the Nativity story from a church from the fourth century A.D., and the earliest description of the Holy Sepulcher, the place where the tradition claims the place where Jesus' body was put into the cave and then resurrected.”
James Tabor, a retired professor of religious studies at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, underscored the exhibit's significance, noting that it bridges a crucial gap between text and history.
He told the Christian Post, “You walk through history, from Herod the Great to the crucifixion and beyond. You get a feel for what life was like. What lamps did they use? What dishes did they eat from? How did they bury their dead? This exhibit answers those questions in ways no textbook can.”
The exhibit suggests that the manger where Jesus was laid at birth was likely a stone trough rather than a wooden crib.
The James Ossuary, bearing an Aramaic inscription identifying it as belonging to “James, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus,” has had its authenticity verified through rigorous chemical and microscopic testing, confirming that the inscription dates back to the first century. Nonetheless, skeptics continue to debate its significance and whether this James is the same individual mentioned in the Gospels as Jesus' brother.
Visitors can expect to encounter ancient coins minted by Pontius Pilate, crucifixion nails that highlight the brutality of Roman execution, and sandals worn by children in first-century Judea. A short film titled "Daily Life in the Time of Jesus" offers a visual narrative that complements the displayed artifacts.
One especially notable item is a stone cup, similar to the one used during the Last Supper. Golan explained, “It wasn’t made of gold or covered in diamonds, as some might imagine. It was a simple stone cup, used during Passover by Jewish people in Jerusalem. The specific one we display has traces of fire damage, possibly from the destruction of Jerusalem, just as Jesus predicted during His life.”
Golan emphasized that these artifacts are keys to understanding a shared past and bringing the Bible to life in a powerful way. “This isn’t just for Christians,” he stated. “Jesus was a Jewish man who lived in a Jewish world. Understanding his time helps us understand the shared roots of our faith and history.”
At the end of the exhibit, visitors are invited to write prayers and leave them on a symbolic tree, with these prayers being transported to a church in Galilee, near where Jesus is believed to have grown up.
“Discovering the World of Jesus: Ancient Treasures from the Holy Land” is now open, with tickets available online. Additional U.S. tour stops to be announced in the coming months.
