Bones in Bulgaria may be of John the Baptist

[Tank]

Bones in Bulgaria may be of John the Baptist

Scientists have found new evidence they say supports the theory that a knuckle bone and other human remains found under a church floor in Bulgaria may be of John the Baptist.

The relics found in a small marble sarcophagus two years ago on a Bulgarian island called Sveti Ivan, which translates as Saint John, also included a human tooth, part of a skull and three animal bones.

A research team from Oxford University dated the right-handed knuckle bone to the first century AD, when John is believed to have lived until his beheading ordered by king Herod, the university said in a statement.

And scientists from the University of Copenhagen analysed the DNA of the bones, finding they came from a single individual, probably a man, from a family in the modern-day Middle East, where John would have lived.

While these findings do not definitively prove anything, they also don't refute the theory first proffered by the Bulgarian archaeologists who found the remains while excavating under an ancient church on the island.

Many sites around the world claim to hold relics of the saint, including the Grand Mosque in Damascus which says it has his head.

The right hand with which the prophet allegedly baptised Jesus in the River Jordan is also claimed to be held by several entities, including a Serbian Orthodox monastery in Montenegro.

"The result from the metacarpal hand bone is clearly consistent with someone who lived in the early first century AD," Oxford University professor Tom Higham said of the new study...

An interesting article.

[OldGit]

Well, it seems to have come from approximately the right part of the world and from vaguely the right period, so of course it must be the hand that baptised Jesus.  How can we doubt any longer?  I'm off to get baptised.

[Crow]

How is an article like that even featured on phys.org.

[Asmodean]

Well, it seems to have come from approximately the right part of the world and from vaguely the right period, so of course it must be the hand that baptised Jesus.  How can we doubt any longer?  I'm off to get baptised.

Baptised by some random Bulgarian's skeletal remains... Nice! 

[Stevil]

Scientists have found new evidence they say supports the theory that a knuckle bone and other human remains found under a church floor in Bulgaria may be of John the Baptist.

What kind of scientists are these? Christian fanatic pseudo scientists?

[markmcdaniel]

Well, it seems to have come from approximately the right part of the world and from vaguely the right period, so of course it must be the hand that baptised Jesus.  How can we doubt any longer?  I'm off to get baptised.

Its a relic so it must be real. We all know that nobody would fake a relic and sell it to the Church. Why this would be wrong. Besides the bones were probably male.

[Ecurb Noselrub]

Scientists have found new evidence they say supports the theory that a knuckle bone and other human remains found under a church floor in Bulgaria may be of John the Baptist.

What kind of scientists are these? Christian fanatic pseudo scientists?

"Supports" is a pretty broad word.  The evidence could have negated the claim - the bones could have been Chinese or from 200 years ago or from multiple people.  "Supports" can mean it just is "consistent with."

[Stevil]

Scientists have found new evidence they say supports the theory that a knuckle bone and other human remains found under a church floor in Bulgaria may be of John the Baptist.

What kind of scientists are these? Christian fanatic pseudo scientists?

"Supports" is a pretty broad word.  The evidence could have negated the claim - the bones could have been Chinese or from 200 years ago or from multiple people.  "Supports" can mean it just is "consistent with."

It would be more honest to state that the evidence doesn't discount the possibility assuming JtB existed and lived 2,000 years ago in the Middle East. Although it doesn't distinguish between any other middle eastern males whom lived 2,000 years ago as well (presumably there was more than one)

Its pretty rubbish evidence don't you think?

[Ecurb Noselrub]

Its pretty rubbish evidence don't you think?

I would have to say that it is hardly newsworthy.

[BooksCatsEtc]

Its pretty rubbish evidence don't you think?

I would have to say that it is hardly newsworthy.

This reminds me of that flap a few years back over the supposed finding of Jesus' burial site and bones.  I remember somebody saying they could prove it with DNA tests.  Don't you need something to compare that with to made a positive ID?  No matter which side it comes from, it seems like desperate stretching.

[xSilverPhinx]

Its pretty rubbish evidence don't you think?

I would have to say that it is hardly newsworthy.

This reminds me of that flap a few years back over the supposed finding of Jesus' burial site and bones.  I remember somebody saying they could prove it with DNA tests.  Don't you need something to compare that with to made a positive ID?  No matter which side it comes from, it seems like desperate stretching.

Yeah, at most you can probably say that the DNA is from around a certain region if you have a group of people from that region that have lived there for a couple of millenia or more.

[The Magic Pudding]

This claim is bullshit, I know because I have John's skull and I use it as a candle holder while performing my darkest rites.  I got it off Ebay and it came with a certificate and everything.

[Stevil]

Its pretty rubbish evidence don't you think?

I would have to say that it is hardly newsworthy.

This reminds me of that flap a few years back over the supposed finding of Jesus' burial site and bones.  I remember somebody saying they could prove it with DNA tests.  Don't you need something to compare that with to made a positive ID?  No matter which side it comes from, it seems like desperate stretching.

Yeah, at most you can probably say that the DNA is from around a certain region if you have a group of people from that region that have lived there for a couple of millenia or more.

The Catholics have Eucharist miracles, basically preserved blood and flesh, which they believe could be Jesus ???. These are all AB blood type supposedly.
DNA testing all this stuff, could show whether it comes from the same person, could work out the gender, race, any genetic issues, presumably Jesus would have perfect DNA ??? if he is without sin.

Its all BS of course but at least it could disprove some of this gory junk that people worship.

[xSilverPhinx]

Its pretty rubbish evidence don't you think?

I would have to say that it is hardly newsworthy.

This reminds me of that flap a few years back over the supposed finding of Jesus' burial site and bones.  I remember somebody saying they could prove it with DNA tests.  Don't you need something to compare that with to made a positive ID?  No matter which side it comes from, it seems like desperate stretching.

Yeah, at most you can probably say that the DNA is from around a certain region if you have a group of people from that region that have lived there for a couple of millenia or more.

The Catholics have Eucharist miracles, basically preserved blood and flesh, which they believe could be Jesus ???. These are all AB blood type supposedly.
DNA testing all this stuff, could show whether it comes from the same person, could work out the gender, race, any genetic issues, presumably Jesus would have perfect DNA ??? if he is without sin.

Its all BS of course but at least it could disprove some of this gory junk that people worship.

But...BUT! The real question is, if he's born of a virgin, where did he get his Y chromossome from? ???

And don't get me started on the Eucharist miracles, you see the Jesus and fork in my sig, right?

[xSilverPhinx]

This claim is bullshit, I know because I have John's skull and I use it as a candle holder while performing my darkest rites.  I got it off Ebay and it came with a certificate and everything.

This can't be, I got the geniune skull with the certificate and everything! They assured me that it was genuine...and I have the certificate to prove it.