[Geology2] Re: your opinions

Hi Allison

Yes, skeptical indeed! We were kind of laughing about it in the Panentheism Group. The article announcing the find said something like, "Archeologists think they have found part of the crucifixion Cross". My thought was that when the archaeologists on the project saw the headline they would have been mortified. I've been reading Bernard Cornwell's books about the Middle ages in England and it seems like every church then had the toe bone of a saint or some thorns from the crown of thorns that they venerated and kept in sacred chests to bring out on holy days. I guess it helped to keep the faithful faithful. I wouldn't rule out the possibility that the followers of Jesus would somehow come into possession of the cross and cut it up to be sent out to the new churches. But I wouldn't bet a dime on it either.

Yes, wood was scarce then. I've heard that they got most of it from Lebanon.

Brooke Childs in the Panentheism group is trying to pin down the date of Jesus' death. It's been narrowed down to 30 or 33 ce. She works mostly on dating the old texts but when I saw the story on the new relic it just made me wonder about using dendrochronology for that time period. It wouldn't be of any use to distinguish between the two years she is considering anyway, but it can't hurt to know about these things.

--- In geology2@yahoogroups.com, Allison Maricelli-Loukanis <allison.ann@...> wrote:
>
> Hi..this is Allison. I realize your question was not aimed at me but I would caution you to be real skeptical about any piece of wood touted as "the true cross". Your wood may be indeed be 2000 years old but the Romans used a permanent stake in the ground with the crosspiece carried by prisoners and that was what was hoisted up. So the stake Jesus was crucified on was likely reused again and again and finally it likely ended up in a woodpile somewhere. Wood was scarce and the Romans had to really look to get wood long enough and strong enough to support a man. I can cite you couple of links to this information if  you like. We can go offline. I am a practicing Catholic but in view of the huge business in relics in the Middle Ages and the lack of provenance for the most part of the various bones and pieces of cloth and whatnot, it is highly doubtful that many relics are what they are supposed to be. In May I am making a pilgrimage on the old Santiago de
> Compostela that was so popular in the Middle Ages,despite the fact that I really doubt St. James is buried in the Cathedral. But hey..sometimes there is some truth in a tradition. Allison
>
>
> ________________________________
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