Collector Oded Golan on Showcasing Biblical Artifacts in ‘Discovering the World of Jesus’

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One of the most debated yet significant artifacts in the world of biblical archaeology is part of a major new exhibit in Atlanta that boasts 350 historical items from the time of Jesus, allowing believers and non-believers alike to explore the lives of those who walked with Christ.

"Discovering the World of Jesus: Ancient Treasures from the Holy Land" is now open at Pullman Yards in Atlanta, combining archaeology and technology as part of an experience that its creators say will bring the New Testament to life. 

It includes the Golan collection, so named for the Israeli entrepreneur and antiquities collector Oded Golan, who has spent decades amassing a collection of items from first-century Israel. The exhibition also includes immersive films. 

The most well-known item in the collection is the James Ossuary, a first-century limestone box that includes an intriguing inscription reading in Aramaic, "James, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus," -- meaning it may have once held the bones of James, the brother of Christ. Scholars universally agree that the box dates to the first century, but the heart of the debate centers on the timing of the inscription. Debate over its authenticity divided the archaeological world when it was first unveiled two decades ago. 

Golan won a court case against the Israel Antiquities Authority, which had charged him with forgery. A judge acquitted him, and -- since then -- multiple scholars have sided with Golan. 

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