World History
CNN has this report about a documentary by Academy Award winning director James Cameron. It reveals "two ancient stone boxes they said may have once contained the remains of Jesus and Mary Magdalene." It will air on the Discovery Channel on March 4th.
This is controversial of course. It is already being challenged for historical accuracy. Amos Kloner, the first archaeologist to examine the site, said the idea fails to hold up by archaeological standards but makes for profitable television. Kloner also said the filmmakers' assertions are false. "The names on the caskets are the most common names found among Jews at the time," he said.
And of course, a tomb with the remains of Jesus contradicts the Bible which means the vast majority of Christians will dismiss the documentary out of hand. The angel in Matthew 28:6 said at Jesus's grave, "He is not here, for he has risen even as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord was laid." And later after the resurrection in Luke 24:51, "And it came to pass as he blessed them, that he parted from them and was carried into heaven."
Of course, quoting the Bible does not change anything relating to the historical evidence being investigated. The Bible may be wrong. However, it certainly does mean the documentary has a tough task and is going to be dismissed out of hand by many.
I will be watching this documentary. It will be interesting to see the evidence being presented. As Cameron knows how to make entertaining films, this may be worth watching even if the documentary is wrong in historical assertations being made.
- Cracking The Mayan Code: Nova
How did historians crack the Mayan code with no Rosetta Stone? Nova explains in this documentary. You can also find out in this slideshare by Sarah Macedo. It's based on the documentary. Thanks to Michael Milton for tweeting the link. Cracking...
- Tropical Cave Art: Older Than European Art
Here's a short documentary form Nature Video about the discovery of cave paintings in Indonesia that "may change what we know about art." That's because these paintings date back more than 39,000 years ago, which could make then older than the...
- The Indus Valley (the Masters Of The River): Documentary
Here's an interesting documentary about the Indus River civilization made by NHK (Japan) and Canadian TV. It does not focus on the twin cities of Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro but on a lesser known site called Dholavira near Gujarat in western India. "With...
- Normandy In Color
Open Culture posted this amazing footage from the Normandy invasion (Operation Overlord). George Stephens, a film maker during the war, made the film with other cameramen hoping to use some of the footage for a documentary. They had a hand-held camera...
- Greek Sculpture
Excellent excerpt from the BBC documentary "How Art Made The World" concerning Greek sculpture. Presented by Dr Nigel Spivey (University of Cambridge). Only 10 minutes. Thanks to Ron Peck for his tweet about the documentary....
World History
Archaeologists, scholars dispute Jesus documentary
CNN has this report about a documentary by Academy Award winning director James Cameron. It reveals "two ancient stone boxes they said may have once contained the remains of Jesus and Mary Magdalene." It will air on the Discovery Channel on March 4th.
This is controversial of course. It is already being challenged for historical accuracy. Amos Kloner, the first archaeologist to examine the site, said the idea fails to hold up by archaeological standards but makes for profitable television. Kloner also said the filmmakers' assertions are false. "The names on the caskets are the most common names found among Jews at the time," he said.
And of course, a tomb with the remains of Jesus contradicts the Bible which means the vast majority of Christians will dismiss the documentary out of hand. The angel in Matthew 28:6 said at Jesus's grave, "He is not here, for he has risen even as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord was laid." And later after the resurrection in Luke 24:51, "And it came to pass as he blessed them, that he parted from them and was carried into heaven."
Of course, quoting the Bible does not change anything relating to the historical evidence being investigated. The Bible may be wrong. However, it certainly does mean the documentary has a tough task and is going to be dismissed out of hand by many.
I will be watching this documentary. It will be interesting to see the evidence being presented. As Cameron knows how to make entertaining films, this may be worth watching even if the documentary is wrong in historical assertations being made.
- Cracking The Mayan Code: Nova
How did historians crack the Mayan code with no Rosetta Stone? Nova explains in this documentary. You can also find out in this slideshare by Sarah Macedo. It's based on the documentary. Thanks to Michael Milton for tweeting the link. Cracking...
- Tropical Cave Art: Older Than European Art
Here's a short documentary form Nature Video about the discovery of cave paintings in Indonesia that "may change what we know about art." That's because these paintings date back more than 39,000 years ago, which could make then older than the...
- The Indus Valley (the Masters Of The River): Documentary
Here's an interesting documentary about the Indus River civilization made by NHK (Japan) and Canadian TV. It does not focus on the twin cities of Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro but on a lesser known site called Dholavira near Gujarat in western India. "With...
- Normandy In Color
Open Culture posted this amazing footage from the Normandy invasion (Operation Overlord). George Stephens, a film maker during the war, made the film with other cameramen hoping to use some of the footage for a documentary. They had a hand-held camera...
- Greek Sculpture
Excellent excerpt from the BBC documentary "How Art Made The World" concerning Greek sculpture. Presented by Dr Nigel Spivey (University of Cambridge). Only 10 minutes. Thanks to Ron Peck for his tweet about the documentary....