Religion has been around since the dawn of time itself, and while some beliefs are older than others, most religions have their historical artifacts, holy scripts, and varying practices. As a result, just as there are questions about the Christian Bible, several artifacts have been recovered to prove the Bible’s events authentic and accurate.
Religion has always worn something of a controversial element, as many feel that even religious scripts are not proof enough to follow a faith. However, some religious scripts are actual artifacts; unlike the bibles, we decorate our homes with revised book versions.
These artifacts are in a particular category. They are among the few pieces of unarguable evidence that backs the reality that religion should not be questioned as harshly as some do.
That said, over the years, some religious artifacts have emerged that were later proved to be well-crafted items intended to trick society. Among the fake biblical artifacts, the burial shroud that supposedly wrapped the body of Jesus. Unfortunately, this particular phony artifact had most of us fooled for several years before science could disprove the supposed history of the shroud.
That said, there are several biblical artifacts that forensic analysis confirms to be genuine, and we’ve listed some of the most iconic finds that prove faith throughout history.
Moabite Stone
A missionary in Jerusalem uncovered a stone tablet in 1868. He purchased the stone tablet due to its ancient appeal. That said, the tablet was broken into several pieces to be sold cumulatively for more money. However, they did craft a copy before breaking the artifact apart.
The relevance of the stone tablet is that it records similar events to those in the Bible. The events of the stone tablet surround the war fought with Israel back in 850 BC. The battle was sparked when Moab revolted against the king of the northern kingdom of Israel shortly after Ahab’s death. Even though both accounts differ in perspective, they still serve as proof of a particular biblical story.
Lachish Letters
J.L Starkley excavated Lachish during the 1930s, and he uncovered a layer of debris that was badly destroyed by fire. A total of eighteen ostraca was discovered in a guardroom between the outer and inner gates of Lachish. An ostracon is a type of inscription that is written on pottery shreds. While most notes were of correspondence, some were lists of names. Unfortunately, only a third of them were dubbed readable.
However, the inscriptions on the letters also coincide with things in the Bible, from events to biblical names. Therefore, these letters are an important religious artifact that proves more biblical events to be accurate with other historical recordings.
The Crucified Man
The exciting uncovering of the remains of a crucified man at Givat Hamivtar is yet another essential biblical finding. This discovery does not just prove that people were crucified as punishment was a norm back then, but it also brings deeper insight into how people were crucified.
Contrary to popular belief, individuals were nailed by the wrist and not the palms of the hand, as this would not provide enough support. Thanks to this discovery, we can now piece together the history of the nation. What’s more, there’s also substantial evidence of Jesus’ resurrection, not just the events of his death.
However, the resurrection’s evidence mainly surrounds proof of architectural sites, burial sites, and burial practices. But just as the uncovered lost pyramids of El Zotz give more profound insight into the religion of the Mayans, the same is true for site discoveries in the middle east.
The Rosetta Stone
Napoleon invaded Egypt in 1798 and brought a scientific team and a draftsman to survey the land’s monuments thoroughly. During the Egyptian expedition, the Rosetta Stone was discovered. The inscriptions on this stone eventually became vital in deciphering ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics.
Even though this stone does not explicitly prove religion, it is a critical discovery in understanding all other artifacts found over time. Without the Rosetta Stone, other inscriptions would not be legible.
Dead Sea Scrolls
In 1947, a few shepherds stumbled across a cave on the western end of the Dead Sea. And what they found would eventually become one of the most iconic archaeological finds in history. Due to the discovery of this particular cave, we were able to discover many other surrounding caves. And these caves contained over eight hundred fragments of documents, such as Hebrew writings on leather and parchment.
These writings are a fundamental biblical discovery, as a complete Isaiah scroll was recovered. The differences are minimal between texts and the Dead Sea Scrolls, proving some events from the Bible to be pretty accurate.
Artifacts That May Never Be Found
Most of the existing evidence that supports religion and the Bible is mainly transcripts and recordings of events. And while we can expect many more artifacts to be uncovered over time, there are some that explorers might never find.
Among these is the burial shroud; there’s reason to believe this kind of artifact might not have survived. In addition, Noah’s Ark is another artifact that might never be discovered; even though some explorers have claimed to have uncovered the ark, science later disproved the claims.
The holy grail, a piece of the cross that Jesus died on, and the Ark of the Covenant are also artifacts that we might never get to see.
Even though several items may never resurface to prove religion, it is vital to understand that evidence is hardly a reason to follow a religion, as faith should require nothing of the kind. That said, there’s no doubt that the resurfacing of biblical artifacts is exceptionally thrilling for anyone in the religious community.
Whether you choose to follow religion simply because some truths have been disclosed through historical findings or because you were raised to become accustomed to the practices, it is vital to understand that some artifacts would be destroyed over time. Some may only half-prove the events of the Bible.
