In the week of October 21, 2002, headlines around the world screamed that evidence of Jesus Christ had been found in the form of an ossuary, or bone-box, supposedly once containing the bones of "James, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus," as was inscribed on the box in Aramaic. The original scholar who reported this spectacular find, the Sorbonne's biblical expert Andre Lemaire, "born a Catholic," concluded it was "very probable" that the inscription referred to Jesus of Nazareth, i.e., Jesus Christ.
The box is an ossuary, used by Jews at the time of Jesus to hold bones of the deceased. The ossuary has almost no ornamentation except for a simple Aramaic inscription: "Ya'akov bar Yosef akhui diYeshua" (James, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus).
The Jewish custom of using ossuaries to collect the remains of the deceased lasted from about 20 B.C. until the Romans destroyed Jerusalem in A.D. 70. Corpses lay in long caves for a year until flesh and soft tissue fell away, after which the bones were placed in a box and put in tombs.
Early historians say St. James was stoned to death around A.D. 62 or 63 for teaching the divinity of Christ. Until the ossuary's appearance, the earliest known artifact mentioning Jesus was a papyrus fragment of the Gospel of John, dated about A.D. 125. Scholars date the Gospel of Mark, the earliest chronicle of Jesus' life, around A.D. 70.
And while "James" is described as a brother of Jesus not only in the Pauline epistles but also in the Gospel of Matthew, there are three different interpretations of the relationship.
GEOLOGICAL ANALYSIS Otherwise, however, the ossuary passed all its tests. Scientists from the Geological Survey of Israel confirmed to Biblical Review's Shanks that the limestone ossuary was typical of biblical Jerusalem. The survey also said its surface patina matched patina in the grooves of the inscription characters, indicating that box and inscription were the same age.
Lemaire said the ossuary contains no bones. It is about 20 inches long, made of porous limestone and slightly trapezoidal in shape. It closely resembles a flower box like those mounted in windows. It comes with a slightly convex lid.
Review publisher Hershel Shanks said the James ossuary was looted and sold to the owner 15 years ago for between $200 and $700: "The Arab dealer told the owner it came from Silwan," Shanks said, a Jerusalem suburb honeycombed with ancient tombs.
"There appeared in these our days a man, of the Jewish Nation, of great virtue, named Yeshua [Jesus], who is yet living among us, and of the Gentiles is accepted for a Prophet of truth, but His own disciples call Him the Son of God- He raiseth the dead and cureth all manner of diseases. A man of stature somewhat tall, and comely, with very reverent countenance, such as the beholders may both love and fear, his hair of (the colour of) the chestnut, full ripe, plain to His ears, whence downwards it is more orient and curling and wavering about His shoulders. In the midst of His head is a seam or partition in His hair, after the manner of the Nazarenes. His forehead plain and very delicate; His face without spot or wrinkle, beautified with a lovely red; His nose and mouth so formed as nothing can be reprehended; His beard thickish, in colour like His hair, not very long, but forked; His look innocent and mature; His eyes grey, clear, and quick- In reproving hypocrisy He is terrible; in admonishing, courteous and fair spoken; pleasant in conversation, mixed with gravity. It cannot be remembered that any have seen Him Laugh, but many have seen Him Weep. In proportion of body, most excellent; His hands and arms delicate to behold. In speaking, very temperate, modest, and wise. A man, for His singular beauty, surpassing the children of men"
The Oldest Views and Literary Data on the External Appearance of Jesus The Description of Publius Lentullus The following was taken from a manuscript in the possession of Lord Kelly, and in his library, and was copied from an original letter of Publius Lentullus at Rome. It being the usual custom of Roman Governors to advertise the Senate and people of such material things as happened in their provinces in the days of Tiberius Caesar, Publius Lentullus, President of Judea, wrote the following epistle to the Senate concerning the Nazarene called Jesus. http://www.thenazareneway.com/likeness_of_our_saviour.htm