Finally, the news so many of you have been asking! We have signed a deal with a studio in Los Angeles, who have confirmed that Bloodline will come out in cinemas this Spring. We will post details of where and when on the site in a couple of weeks, so stay in touch. If you have not done so already, please register on this site for email notices about this and other Bloodline news and events.
In the meantime, the work continues as the team pursues analysis on some of their findings.
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
Hand-writing expert Confirms Hammott’s clues were written by Sauniere
Ben Hammott, (www.benhammott.com) along with author Rat Scabies (www.ratscabies.com)and Rennes researcher Andrew Gough of the Arcadia website (www.andrewgough.com) met with handwriting expert Emma Bache in London before Christmas for her analysis of the written clues that were inside the bottles Ben had discovered.
Ben Hammott, Rat Scabies and Emma Bache
Previously Emma had been approched by Rat Scabies to do analysis on Sauniere’s writing for his book Rat Scabies and the Holy Grail.
Ben brought some known samples of Sauniere’s hand-writing to compare alongside the clues.
Comparing the message found in the second bottle, purportedly signed by Sauniere, and another known letter of his, Bache said:
“…yes, these two do look like they were written by the same person. It’s very likely that they were….you've got the same down strokes and certainly the signature is the same...I’d say they were, yes....and given that the text (of message 2) fills the whole page, it’s indicative of someone who was very agitated and determined to get their point across to others...the whole obsessive compulsive nature of his manner is showing more than ever…he wants to get his message across.”
Pressed by Rat Scabies for more about what the writing says about the author’s character, she went on to say,
“I would say that he’s got a form of OCD, not an easy character, very stubborn, learned but very stubborn…strong willpower…and full of angst…the key strokes are heavy indicating that he held the pen strongly.”
Ben also showed Emma a selection of the priest’s signatures, some from the clues and some from other known documents, and asked her to pick the ones she thought were genuine.
After careful analysis, and without knowing which came from which source, she chose the signatures she thought as being genuine. Two of those came from the messages Hammott found.
Ben said :
“This is great news. We now have some expert analysis that these could well have been written by Sauniere. I’ve always said I thought all the clues and the bottles were left by the priest so someone could follow in his footsteps…”
Differences—and similarities—in style and execution can be very subtle for an untrained eye. Rat Scabies explained, “When you first compare Ben’s clues with the priest’s known handwriting, it’s hard to see the similarities, but Emma can look beyond that and analyze minute inflections, key strokes and other signs. She thinks it could be Sauniere.”
Bache, a well known UK graphologist, has worked with BBC Television and Radio as well as many independent programs and stations. Her journalistic work covers most of the UK's major newspapers and a wide range of magazines and publications.
Andrew Gough added
“I have spent some time with Emma and I have a lot of respect for the way she approaches her craft. She is very professional and totally unbiased” said Andrew Gough, adding, “This is a good result for Ben. The importance of the clues was always going to be subject to some examination, so this is a good first step.”
Ben Hammott, Rat Scabies and Emma Bache
Previously Emma had been approched by Rat Scabies to do analysis on Sauniere’s writing for his book Rat Scabies and the Holy Grail.
Ben brought some known samples of Sauniere’s hand-writing to compare alongside the clues.
Comparing the message found in the second bottle, purportedly signed by Sauniere, and another known letter of his, Bache said:
“…yes, these two do look like they were written by the same person. It’s very likely that they were….you've got the same down strokes and certainly the signature is the same...I’d say they were, yes....and given that the text (of message 2) fills the whole page, it’s indicative of someone who was very agitated and determined to get their point across to others...the whole obsessive compulsive nature of his manner is showing more than ever…he wants to get his message across.”
Pressed by Rat Scabies for more about what the writing says about the author’s character, she went on to say,
“I would say that he’s got a form of OCD, not an easy character, very stubborn, learned but very stubborn…strong willpower…and full of angst…the key strokes are heavy indicating that he held the pen strongly.”
Ben also showed Emma a selection of the priest’s signatures, some from the clues and some from other known documents, and asked her to pick the ones she thought were genuine.
After careful analysis, and without knowing which came from which source, she chose the signatures she thought as being genuine. Two of those came from the messages Hammott found.
Ben said :
“This is great news. We now have some expert analysis that these could well have been written by Sauniere. I’ve always said I thought all the clues and the bottles were left by the priest so someone could follow in his footsteps…”
Differences—and similarities—in style and execution can be very subtle for an untrained eye. Rat Scabies explained, “When you first compare Ben’s clues with the priest’s known handwriting, it’s hard to see the similarities, but Emma can look beyond that and analyze minute inflections, key strokes and other signs. She thinks it could be Sauniere.”
Bache, a well known UK graphologist, has worked with BBC Television and Radio as well as many independent programs and stations. Her journalistic work covers most of the UK's major newspapers and a wide range of magazines and publications.
Andrew Gough added
“I have spent some time with Emma and I have a lot of respect for the way she approaches her craft. She is very professional and totally unbiased” said Andrew Gough, adding, “This is a good result for Ben. The importance of the clues was always going to be subject to some examination, so this is a good first step.”
Top Israeli archaeologist dates chest contents to 1st Century
In early December 2007, Ben Hammott and Bruce flew to London and met with leading Israeli archaeologist Dr Gabriel Barkay of Bar Ilan University in Jerusalem. Gaby, as he is known, is one of the world’s most respected authorities on 1st and 2nd Temple period relics and, although they had already been examined and dated by the British Museum, they wanted him to analyze the contents of the wooden chest; namely the cup, the ointment jar, the glass vial and the collection of coins.
Dr Gabriel Barkay and Ben Hammott
Barkay confirmed that all three objects were 100% authentic ancient relics that had originated in or around the 1st century BC in Judaea, possibly Jerusalem.
He confirmed the British Museum’s view that the small pottery vase was an ungenterea or ointment vessel, which was mainly used to fragrance a tomb.
Dr Gabriel Barkay examining the Cup and Vase
Remember that the Serpent Rouge document which is held at the National Library in Paris, mentions ‘the sweet smelling perfume’ coming from ‘the tomb of a lost queen’ called “madeleine’.
3 Aries
In my difficult pilgrimage I was trying to hack my way through the dense vegetation of the woods with my sword. I wanted to reach the abode of the sleeping beauty in whom some poets can see the queen of a lost kingdom. Desperate to find the way, I was aided by the parchments of my friend, being for me like Ariadne's thread.
7 Leo
The scent of the perfume, whom I wish to liberate, which fills her tomb, , mounts upwards towards me. Long ago she was named Isis, queen of the benevolent spring, come to me all COME TO ME ALL YOU WHO LABOUR AND ARE HEAVY LADEN AND I WILL COMFORT YOU. Others knew her as MAGDALENE with the celebrated vase of healing balm. The initiates knew her true name: OUR LADY OF THE CROSSES.
Dr Barkay also said that the small glass vial was known as an alabastra which was early roman glass imitating alabaster. Inside was the small piece of rolled parchment. Of course Mary Magdalene is often depicted with an alabaster jar or vase.
The Glass Vial
Again, concurring with the analysis from the British Museum, Dr Barkay identified coins that dated back to 1st century BC, through to 1st century AD at the time of Jesus and Mary Magdalene, down to the 5th century in Constantinople, right through to a coin from the Crusades in the 12th century. There were 30 coins in total.
Close up of one of the coins showing both sides
(See images of some of the other coins below)
So now we know, thanks to the British Museum and Dr Barkay, that the objects are 100% genuine. But the question is, how did they find their way from 1st century Judea into this chest buried in a cave across the valley from Rennes-le-Chateau?
And why did the clue, possibly written by Sauniere, call them the ‘cup of Jesus and Mary’ & ‘the anointing jar’ ?
Dr Barkay said :
“It’s very interesting. I’m very happy that I saw it with my own eyes….it is possible, it would be not out of the question that artifacts excavated by the Templars in Palestine or even in Temple Mount would find a way to Europe. The finds in this chest are really intriguing and it is really something that inflames the imagination. But whether it is connected to the historical Jesus or not, time will tell…”
Dr Gabriel Barkay and Ben Hammott
Barkay confirmed that all three objects were 100% authentic ancient relics that had originated in or around the 1st century BC in Judaea, possibly Jerusalem.
He confirmed the British Museum’s view that the small pottery vase was an ungenterea or ointment vessel, which was mainly used to fragrance a tomb.
Dr Gabriel Barkay examining the Cup and Vase
Remember that the Serpent Rouge document which is held at the National Library in Paris, mentions ‘the sweet smelling perfume’ coming from ‘the tomb of a lost queen’ called “madeleine’.
3 Aries
In my difficult pilgrimage I was trying to hack my way through the dense vegetation of the woods with my sword. I wanted to reach the abode of the sleeping beauty in whom some poets can see the queen of a lost kingdom. Desperate to find the way, I was aided by the parchments of my friend, being for me like Ariadne's thread.
7 Leo
The scent of the perfume, whom I wish to liberate, which fills her tomb, , mounts upwards towards me. Long ago she was named Isis, queen of the benevolent spring, come to me all COME TO ME ALL YOU WHO LABOUR AND ARE HEAVY LADEN AND I WILL COMFORT YOU. Others knew her as MAGDALENE with the celebrated vase of healing balm. The initiates knew her true name: OUR LADY OF THE CROSSES.
Dr Barkay also said that the small glass vial was known as an alabastra which was early roman glass imitating alabaster. Inside was the small piece of rolled parchment. Of course Mary Magdalene is often depicted with an alabaster jar or vase.
The Glass Vial
Again, concurring with the analysis from the British Museum, Dr Barkay identified coins that dated back to 1st century BC, through to 1st century AD at the time of Jesus and Mary Magdalene, down to the 5th century in Constantinople, right through to a coin from the Crusades in the 12th century. There were 30 coins in total.
Close up of one of the coins showing both sides
(See images of some of the other coins below)
So now we know, thanks to the British Museum and Dr Barkay, that the objects are 100% genuine. But the question is, how did they find their way from 1st century Judea into this chest buried in a cave across the valley from Rennes-le-Chateau?
And why did the clue, possibly written by Sauniere, call them the ‘cup of Jesus and Mary’ & ‘the anointing jar’ ?
Dr Barkay said :
“It’s very interesting. I’m very happy that I saw it with my own eyes….it is possible, it would be not out of the question that artifacts excavated by the Templars in Palestine or even in Temple Mount would find a way to Europe. The finds in this chest are really intriguing and it is really something that inflames the imagination. But whether it is connected to the historical Jesus or not, time will tell…”
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
The Chest Coins - A brief description
The coins discovered in the old buried chest numbered thirty and some had deteriorated to such an extent they can not be identified, others though had survived their incarceration in better condition and after cleaning some of these were identified. The coins date from 100BC all the way through to the 12th Century, many of which were in circulation in Jerusalem at the time of Jesus and Mary Magdalene.
15 of the better condition coins after cleaning
The coins seem to be telling a story, though with many of the coins unidentifiable we may never know their full meaning. With there being 30 coins in the chest, and although they are not silver, we can not help but link them to the 30 coins mentioned in the bible.
Judas' 30 Pieces of Silver - Matthew 26:14-15
"Then one of the 12, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, and said unto them, 'What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you?' And they covenanted with him for 30 pieces of silver."
WIDOW MITES
The coins include those coins used by the poor widow referred to in scripture and on which Jesus comments:
Luke 21:1-4
1 And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury. 2 And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in two mites. 3 And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all: 4 For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had.
Widow Mites showing both sides
Bronze Prutah, Obverse BASILEWS ALEXANDROU (King Alexander) around anchor; reverse eight ray star (or wheel) surrounded by diadem, Hebrew inscription “Yehonatan the king” between the rays.
The ANCHOR: The anchor was adopted from the Seleucids, who used it to symbolize their naval strength. Anchors are depicted upside down, as they would be seen hung on the side of a boat ready for use.
The STAR (Wheel): The star or star with diadem symbolizes heaven. Some prutah mites stars look more like wheels, and there is some debate as to whether that was meant to be a wheel or a star.
There was also a coin dating from the Crusader period.
CRUSADE COIN
BILLON SILVER DENIER OF THE LOCAL CRUSADER AREA
COMMANDER ANTIOCH-BOEMUND 3rd or 4th.
1149AD -1233 AD
Crusader.Principality of Antioch.
Bohemond III or IV c.1149AD-1233AD Bi.Denier.
BOAMANDVS, helmeted bust left, crescent in front star behind.
These coins were commonly used to pay the knights during the crusades.
MARCUS AMBIBULUS COIN
Marcus Ambibulus prefect under Augustus 9 A.D. - 12 A.D.
Minted at the approximate time that Jesus visited the Temple at age 12
Head of barley curved right; reverse palm tree with two bunches of dates
The palm is a date palm and this tree was a symbol of judea where these palms grew in great abundance. The palm also symbolised abundance and plenty, dignity, royal honour, jubilation and victory, and was used in religious processions.
In 6 AD, Herod Archelaus, son of Herod the Great, was deposed and banished to Gaul by Augustus. Archelaus' part of his father's kingdom (including Judea, Samaria, Idumea and Archelais) was (except for Archelais) organized as a Roman Procuratorial Province.
The coins of Herod Antipas were generally struck using poor metal alloys and consequently coins of his in this condition are extremely rare. HEROD ANTIPAS was the son of Herod the Great who became ruler of Galilee. He built the city of Tiberias as his capital. This is the Herod who was condemned by John the Baptist and later had John killed according to the Bible.
15 of the better condition coins after cleaning
The coins seem to be telling a story, though with many of the coins unidentifiable we may never know their full meaning. With there being 30 coins in the chest, and although they are not silver, we can not help but link them to the 30 coins mentioned in the bible.
Judas' 30 Pieces of Silver - Matthew 26:14-15
"Then one of the 12, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, and said unto them, 'What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you?' And they covenanted with him for 30 pieces of silver."
WIDOW MITES
The coins include those coins used by the poor widow referred to in scripture and on which Jesus comments:
Luke 21:1-4
1 And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury. 2 And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in two mites. 3 And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all: 4 For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had.
Widow Mites showing both sides
Bronze Prutah, Obverse BASILEWS ALEXANDROU (King Alexander) around anchor; reverse eight ray star (or wheel) surrounded by diadem, Hebrew inscription “Yehonatan the king” between the rays.
The ANCHOR: The anchor was adopted from the Seleucids, who used it to symbolize their naval strength. Anchors are depicted upside down, as they would be seen hung on the side of a boat ready for use.
The STAR (Wheel): The star or star with diadem symbolizes heaven. Some prutah mites stars look more like wheels, and there is some debate as to whether that was meant to be a wheel or a star.
There was also a coin dating from the Crusader period.
CRUSADE COIN
BILLON SILVER DENIER OF THE LOCAL CRUSADER AREA
COMMANDER ANTIOCH-BOEMUND 3rd or 4th.
1149AD -1233 AD
Crusader.Principality of Antioch.
Bohemond III or IV c.1149AD-1233AD Bi.Denier.
BOAMANDVS, helmeted bust left, crescent in front star behind.
These coins were commonly used to pay the knights during the crusades.
MARCUS AMBIBULUS COIN
Marcus Ambibulus prefect under Augustus 9 A.D. - 12 A.D.
Minted at the approximate time that Jesus visited the Temple at age 12
Head of barley curved right; reverse palm tree with two bunches of dates
The palm is a date palm and this tree was a symbol of judea where these palms grew in great abundance. The palm also symbolised abundance and plenty, dignity, royal honour, jubilation and victory, and was used in religious processions.
In 6 AD, Herod Archelaus, son of Herod the Great, was deposed and banished to Gaul by Augustus. Archelaus' part of his father's kingdom (including Judea, Samaria, Idumea and Archelais) was (except for Archelais) organized as a Roman Procuratorial Province.
The coins of Herod Antipas were generally struck using poor metal alloys and consequently coins of his in this condition are extremely rare. HEROD ANTIPAS was the son of Herod the Great who became ruler of Galilee. He built the city of Tiberias as his capital. This is the Herod who was condemned by John the Baptist and later had John killed according to the Bible.
Friday, August 10, 2007
The Last Supper - Ben's Chest - Radio Interviews
The world has spoken! Fifteen million simultaneous hits crashed amateur Italian scholar Slavisa Pesci’s website where he had posted his work revealing hidden images in Da Vinci’s The Last Supper. Proof that no matter what anyone does to try and suppress it, the interest in the ideas behind this mystery has not waned. People want to know the truth NOW.
And if that is a woman, maybe even Mary Magdalene, holding a child, then Leonardo was very clearly encapsulating the Bloodline idea into The Last Supper.
Da Vinci’s The Last Supper
The Last Supper Reversed
Last Supper with Mirror Image Overlayed
In the coming weeks, we will be releasing more information, images and footage from Bloodline, so keep an eye on this site.
As we’ve previously revealed, the buried chest that Ben found contained ancient relics dating back to 1st Century Jerusalem.
As interesting as the contents are, although we haven’t spoken about it publicly before right now, the chest itself excited us on first sight because of an interesting emblem, faded, but still clearly visible on the top of the lid.
Those of you familiar with the Rennes-le-Chateau mystery will immediately recognize this image.
Analysis of the chest by Royal cabinet makers Beckwith & Son in England, dated the chest to as early as 1800 and notes that it gave the appearance of having been kept underground.
Bruce and I had the recent pleasure of doing a couple of radio interviews which are live on the internet right now—the first was with the esteemed panel of Rennes-le-Chateau researchers, Andrew Gough, Philip Coppens and Corjan de Raaf at www.rennessence.com, and the second was with RLC author William Henry and can be heard at www.unknowncountry.com/dreamland. If you have a moment, stop by those great sites where you’ll not only find our interviews, but lots of great information on this mystery!
Thanks, as always, for your continued interest.
René Barnett, Producer
And if that is a woman, maybe even Mary Magdalene, holding a child, then Leonardo was very clearly encapsulating the Bloodline idea into The Last Supper.
Da Vinci’s The Last Supper
The Last Supper Reversed
Last Supper with Mirror Image Overlayed
In the coming weeks, we will be releasing more information, images and footage from Bloodline, so keep an eye on this site.
As we’ve previously revealed, the buried chest that Ben found contained ancient relics dating back to 1st Century Jerusalem.
As interesting as the contents are, although we haven’t spoken about it publicly before right now, the chest itself excited us on first sight because of an interesting emblem, faded, but still clearly visible on the top of the lid.
Those of you familiar with the Rennes-le-Chateau mystery will immediately recognize this image.
Analysis of the chest by Royal cabinet makers Beckwith & Son in England, dated the chest to as early as 1800 and notes that it gave the appearance of having been kept underground.
Bruce and I had the recent pleasure of doing a couple of radio interviews which are live on the internet right now—the first was with the esteemed panel of Rennes-le-Chateau researchers, Andrew Gough, Philip Coppens and Corjan de Raaf at www.rennessence.com, and the second was with RLC author William Henry and can be heard at www.unknowncountry.com/dreamland. If you have a moment, stop by those great sites where you’ll not only find our interviews, but lots of great information on this mystery!
Thanks, as always, for your continued interest.
René Barnett, Producer
Friday, May 11, 2007
Filming the research and discoveries of ‘Ben Hammott’, aka 'The Tombman'
We have been promising, amidst widespread curiosity and speculation, exciting news about discoveries in France. I can now confirm that Bruce has spent much of the last twelve months filming the research and discoveries of ‘Ben Hammott’, aka 'The Tombman'.
Back in 2000, Ben and his brother discovered what appeared to be an extraordinary tomb not far from the village of Rennes-Le-Chateau. As many of you know, he posted images that he’d captured at the time on his website, but few took him, or his find, seriously.
In 2006, as part of his investigations for Bloodline, Bruce met up with Ben to learn more about his find. By using what he said were a series of encoded messages in the décor of the church at RLC, Ben had discovered a series of bottles containing handwritten, signed, “confessions” of the priest Sauniere.
The contents, if they were true, were stunning.
"I have done what I have done to preserve the secret. Maybe in the future the time will come for the secret to be revealed because it is too great a secret to be kept for all eternity."
"I abandon and renounce my religion I now know to be false…Jesus did not die on the Crucifix but 22 days later. Mary Magdalene removed his body from his tomb. The Disciples and the People were fooled about his Resurrection."
"His body has been hidden three times…For many centuries this great lie has been concealed."
The signatures, at least, on the clues are similar to those on letters from the priest’s own archives, supplied by Antoine Captier.
Each clue led Ben to another. The final one led to a cave near Rennes-le-Chateau, which has come to be known in recent times as ‘the Cave of the Magdalene’.
Bruce joined Ben for the hike to the cave, and it was there they discovered the the small pottery cup, an anointing jar, the glass vial containing the rolled parchment and a collection of ancient coins.
Those of you who have followed the news on our site will know by now that after analysis, by both the British Museum in London and Dr Gabi Barkay in Jerusalem, those contents were proved to be genuine 1st Century relics, most likely brought from Jerusalem to France.
The question Bruce faced was whether these relics had been found originally in the tomb of Mary Magdalene, and if so, was that a very strong indication she is buried in the area as the legends suggest ?
The small piece of parchment rolled up inside the glass vial was dated to circa 1430 by the radio carbon lab at Oxford University. On it were the words Regalis Crypta or Royal Tombs and the letters MM.
Among the written confessions on one of the clues was this…
"I have dug the earth to make a passage to the mountain tomb….I found there beautiful things…a treasure and a corpse…the sacred letters, the sacred history and the sacred objects of the Jews…because it had been buried for so long the shroud was all in tatters exposing me to a great secret…”
Had the priest found the tomb of Mary Magdalene? And was this what Ben had discovered back in 2000?
Inside there was what appeared to be a shrouded corpse, bearing the distinctive red cross of the Knights Templar.
There were also a number of wooden chests and other artifacts scattered on the ground.
It appeared as if someone had started to loot this tomb.
It was clearly time to re-examine Ben’s tomb, and in early 2007 Ben took Bruce to the tomb site.
The only access to it was a deep, winding narrow air shaft. Using fibre optic cables and a remote camera, Ben unsealed the tomb shaft and lowered the equipment down into the tomb.
It was soon clear from the images on the monitor that there had been a heavy rock fall inside the tomb sometime since Ben's last filming visit. Much of the floor was now covered in debris, but the shrouded corpse was still there.
As the remote camera moved around the tomb it revealed open chests with gold cups, coins and jewels…..
A badly rotted book, or Codex….
The shrouded body.
Bruce had this to say: “It's really too early to say whose body is under the shroud. Wild speculation serves no purpose, and as recent finds in Jerusalem have proved, I think it can be damaging. We need to take this really slow, proceed very carefully, do the tests, analysis and then see what’s what. One thing is for certain though, this is a real corpse, in a real tomb, surrounded by real treasure. Whoever it is, this could be a very important historical find. That is why plans are underway to approach the French authorities for a full scale excavation of the site.”
We will update you with more news in due time. Thanks again for your interest, and thanks especially for all the supportive emails that continue to come in.
Rene Barnett
Producer
Back in 2000, Ben and his brother discovered what appeared to be an extraordinary tomb not far from the village of Rennes-Le-Chateau. As many of you know, he posted images that he’d captured at the time on his website, but few took him, or his find, seriously.
In 2006, as part of his investigations for Bloodline, Bruce met up with Ben to learn more about his find. By using what he said were a series of encoded messages in the décor of the church at RLC, Ben had discovered a series of bottles containing handwritten, signed, “confessions” of the priest Sauniere.
The contents, if they were true, were stunning.
"I have done what I have done to preserve the secret. Maybe in the future the time will come for the secret to be revealed because it is too great a secret to be kept for all eternity."
"I abandon and renounce my religion I now know to be false…Jesus did not die on the Crucifix but 22 days later. Mary Magdalene removed his body from his tomb. The Disciples and the People were fooled about his Resurrection."
"His body has been hidden three times…For many centuries this great lie has been concealed."
The signatures, at least, on the clues are similar to those on letters from the priest’s own archives, supplied by Antoine Captier.
Each clue led Ben to another. The final one led to a cave near Rennes-le-Chateau, which has come to be known in recent times as ‘the Cave of the Magdalene’.
Bruce joined Ben for the hike to the cave, and it was there they discovered the the small pottery cup, an anointing jar, the glass vial containing the rolled parchment and a collection of ancient coins.
Those of you who have followed the news on our site will know by now that after analysis, by both the British Museum in London and Dr Gabi Barkay in Jerusalem, those contents were proved to be genuine 1st Century relics, most likely brought from Jerusalem to France.
The question Bruce faced was whether these relics had been found originally in the tomb of Mary Magdalene, and if so, was that a very strong indication she is buried in the area as the legends suggest ?
The small piece of parchment rolled up inside the glass vial was dated to circa 1430 by the radio carbon lab at Oxford University. On it were the words Regalis Crypta or Royal Tombs and the letters MM.
Among the written confessions on one of the clues was this…
"I have dug the earth to make a passage to the mountain tomb….I found there beautiful things…a treasure and a corpse…the sacred letters, the sacred history and the sacred objects of the Jews…because it had been buried for so long the shroud was all in tatters exposing me to a great secret…”
Had the priest found the tomb of Mary Magdalene? And was this what Ben had discovered back in 2000?
Inside there was what appeared to be a shrouded corpse, bearing the distinctive red cross of the Knights Templar.
There were also a number of wooden chests and other artifacts scattered on the ground.
It appeared as if someone had started to loot this tomb.
It was clearly time to re-examine Ben’s tomb, and in early 2007 Ben took Bruce to the tomb site.
The only access to it was a deep, winding narrow air shaft. Using fibre optic cables and a remote camera, Ben unsealed the tomb shaft and lowered the equipment down into the tomb.
It was soon clear from the images on the monitor that there had been a heavy rock fall inside the tomb sometime since Ben's last filming visit. Much of the floor was now covered in debris, but the shrouded corpse was still there.
As the remote camera moved around the tomb it revealed open chests with gold cups, coins and jewels…..
A badly rotted book, or Codex….
The shrouded body.
Bruce had this to say: “It's really too early to say whose body is under the shroud. Wild speculation serves no purpose, and as recent finds in Jerusalem have proved, I think it can be damaging. We need to take this really slow, proceed very carefully, do the tests, analysis and then see what’s what. One thing is for certain though, this is a real corpse, in a real tomb, surrounded by real treasure. Whoever it is, this could be a very important historical find. That is why plans are underway to approach the French authorities for a full scale excavation of the site.”
We will update you with more news in due time. Thanks again for your interest, and thanks especially for all the supportive emails that continue to come in.
Rene Barnett
Producer
Tuesday, February 6, 2007
Priory of Sion and Bloodline families confirm items as genuine relics.
Representatives of the Priory of Sion and the Bloodline families have confirmed to us in a series of emails and telephone conversations that the items in the chest: the cup, the anointing jar and the vial are all genuine relics.
They said that the cup and the anointing jar were both used at the wedding of Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene and have been passed down by families in the Bloodline for centuries as sacred relics celebrating that Royal union.
We have been promised further details and ‘incontrovertible proof’ of the items provenance.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
The Oxford Radio Carbon Laboratory, famous for its dating of the Turin Shroud, has just completed its analysis of the small rolled up parchment that we found in the glass vial.
According to their tests, carried out in January 2006, there is a 95.4% probability that the parchment dates from between 1430AD and 1520AD.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
We are also pleased to show the latest photographs, after cleaning, of the ancient coins that were found in the chest.
“ It looks like someone’s collection from parts Levantine, with Byzantine, East Roman provincial and even a crusader coin. The coins date from Jewish King Alexander Geneas of the Hasmonean dynasty 100BC through to the late Roman period, into the Byzantine Emperors of the 5th and 6th centuries up to the Crusades in the 12th Century.”
Richard Abdy, Department of Coins and Medals, British Museum
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Bloodline is nearing completion at our edit studio in Los Angeles. We will begin screening a rough cut of the film over the next week for friends and family and to iron out any kinks.
After that we will be showing it to studios and distributors here in Hollywood and perhaps arrange for screenings at one or two Festivals around the world, to help spread the word.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
We remain thrilled that several best-selling authors, academics and theologians have come on board to support the film and its findings. Here are some of the latest…
"Let me be the first to congratulate you on the good vibe and pr you seem to be getting on your BLOODLINE production. Good title! Good luck !
Robert Eisenman, Director of the Institute for Judeo-Christian Origins at California State University Long Beach, Visiting Senior Member of Linacre College, Oxford and author of the newly released "New Testament Code."
"In thirty years years as a Rennes researcher, this could be the most important find ever made…if this IS the cup from the wedding and the anointing jar used by Mary Magdalene then this find is truly AWESOME…”
The Reverend Lionel Fanthorpe, Anglican priest, author and journalist
"This vessel (the jar) is very clearly, beyond any doubt, Jerusalemite, from the 2nd Temple period. It is an unguentarium and usually contained oil based perfumes. Best of luck with your film !"
Dr. Gabi Barkay, Senior Lecturer of Bar Ilan University currently excavating the Temple Mount.
"If this cup and jar are connected to Jesus, Mary Magdalene and/or their descendants then this would corroborate what I have been saying for years, that they were married and that their Bloodline does exist."
Sir Laurence Gardner, author The Magdalene Legacy, The Bloodline of the Grail, The Lost Secrets of the Sacred Ark and the forthcoming The Hidden Descent from Jesus
“I find sufficient evidence in the New Testament to convince me that Jesus was married. I hope he was. I would rejoice if that supposition could be proved…I wish you well with this film.”
The Right Reverend John Shelby Spong, Episcopal Bishop of Newark, New Jersey (retired), author and lecturer
“(the jar)…It is from the late Greek Period, Hellenistic, 1st century BC into the early 1st century AD. It’s an unguentum orca, an anointing jar, from the east Mediterranean which would have been used to carry an oil based perfume.”
They said that the cup and the anointing jar were both used at the wedding of Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene and have been passed down by families in the Bloodline for centuries as sacred relics celebrating that Royal union.
We have been promised further details and ‘incontrovertible proof’ of the items provenance.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
The Oxford Radio Carbon Laboratory, famous for its dating of the Turin Shroud, has just completed its analysis of the small rolled up parchment that we found in the glass vial.
According to their tests, carried out in January 2006, there is a 95.4% probability that the parchment dates from between 1430AD and 1520AD.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
We are also pleased to show the latest photographs, after cleaning, of the ancient coins that were found in the chest.
“ It looks like someone’s collection from parts Levantine, with Byzantine, East Roman provincial and even a crusader coin. The coins date from Jewish King Alexander Geneas of the Hasmonean dynasty 100BC through to the late Roman period, into the Byzantine Emperors of the 5th and 6th centuries up to the Crusades in the 12th Century.”
Richard Abdy, Department of Coins and Medals, British Museum
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Bloodline is nearing completion at our edit studio in Los Angeles. We will begin screening a rough cut of the film over the next week for friends and family and to iron out any kinks.
After that we will be showing it to studios and distributors here in Hollywood and perhaps arrange for screenings at one or two Festivals around the world, to help spread the word.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
We remain thrilled that several best-selling authors, academics and theologians have come on board to support the film and its findings. Here are some of the latest…
"Let me be the first to congratulate you on the good vibe and pr you seem to be getting on your BLOODLINE production. Good title! Good luck !
Robert Eisenman, Director of the Institute for Judeo-Christian Origins at California State University Long Beach, Visiting Senior Member of Linacre College, Oxford and author of the newly released "New Testament Code."
"In thirty years years as a Rennes researcher, this could be the most important find ever made…if this IS the cup from the wedding and the anointing jar used by Mary Magdalene then this find is truly AWESOME…”
The Reverend Lionel Fanthorpe, Anglican priest, author and journalist
"This vessel (the jar) is very clearly, beyond any doubt, Jerusalemite, from the 2nd Temple period. It is an unguentarium and usually contained oil based perfumes. Best of luck with your film !"
Dr. Gabi Barkay, Senior Lecturer of Bar Ilan University currently excavating the Temple Mount.
"If this cup and jar are connected to Jesus, Mary Magdalene and/or their descendants then this would corroborate what I have been saying for years, that they were married and that their Bloodline does exist."
Sir Laurence Gardner, author The Magdalene Legacy, The Bloodline of the Grail, The Lost Secrets of the Sacred Ark and the forthcoming The Hidden Descent from Jesus
“I find sufficient evidence in the New Testament to convince me that Jesus was married. I hope he was. I would rejoice if that supposition could be proved…I wish you well with this film.”
The Right Reverend John Shelby Spong, Episcopal Bishop of Newark, New Jersey (retired), author and lecturer
“(the jar)…It is from the late Greek Period, Hellenistic, 1st century BC into the early 1st century AD. It’s an unguentum orca, an anointing jar, from the east Mediterranean which would have been used to carry an oil based perfume.”
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