Tomb Discovered in France, Findings May Challenge the Tenets of Christianity

[Okane]

LOS ANGELES - An underground tomb found in the Languedoc region of southwest France has been discovered, which may help substantiate the existence of a Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene bloodline, according to the new documentary BLOODLINE, premiering May 9 in New York and May 16 in Los Angeles.  The rare find will be further examined at a Monday, May 5 news conference at the Jewish Museum in New York City.  The chamber contains a mummified corpse on a rose-colored plinth under a shroud bearing the distinctive red cross of the Knights Templar, and is surrounded by wooden chests, revealing a cache of gold chalices and coins. The discovery has been reported to the French Government agency, Direction Regionale des Affaires Culturelles Languedoc-Roussillon (DRAC-LR), and plans are underway for a full scale survey.

"After the Crusades, it was rumored that the Templars had discovered treasure underneath the Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem that could debunk the Catholic Church's doctrine," said BLOODLINE director Bruce Burgess, of the unprecedented discovery of what appears to be an intact Knights Templar tomb. "This treasure was believed to be priceless relics -- documents, the Holy Grail, even the embalmed remains of Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene -- which was then brought to southern France, and hidden."

The subterranean chamber was discovered by an English adventurer, Ben Hammott, using a hidden code in the decor of the church at Rennes-le-Chateau left behind by the 19th century priest, Berenger Sauniere. The film team was able to gain access into the tomb by using a remote camera inserted through a small air shaft at the top of the chamber.

[Okane]

Relics were not removed, although the team was able to extract a few hair strands from the corpse, which have undergone testing by the Paleo-DNA Laboratory at Lakehead University in Ontario, Canada.  "Like most ancient or degraded samples, we knew our best chance for successful results would be to focus our efforts on mitochondrial DNA," said analyst Renee Praymack Fratpietro. "We were able to determine a Middle Eastern maternal origin of the individual based on haplotyping information.  After we found out where this hair sample came from, we realized the significance of this work."

BLOODLINE producer Rene Barnett concluded, "Given the DNA results, the region's Templar history and the legend of Priest Sauniere which indicated that he found a tomb in the area that could 'shake the Vatican to its core,' we think this is a staggering find."

The DRAC Commissioner in the region, Jean-Pierre Giraud said, "This is certainly a very intriguing discovery, but it's just too early to tell how important it is. We need to do a full survey of the site to determine the age of the corpse and the other items in the tomb. The archeology department of the DRAC-LR will be carrying out an examination of the site as soon as access has been made possible."

The area surrounding Rennes-le-Chateau features prominently in the bloodline legend which follows the premise that Mary Magdalene escaped Jerusalem with child, sailed to France and settled in the region.

For the latest updates -- including clips, press releases and updates on the dig -- visit:

http://www.bloodlinethemovie.com/

[Okane]

JERUSALEM ARTIFACTS TO STAR IN NEW FILM
By Will King
ynetnews.com
May 3, 2008

Original Link

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3536277,00.html

[Okane]

Based on archeological findings in France, new film presents 'bloodline conspiracy' claiming Jesus fathered child with Mary Magdalene.

Several artifacts of Second Temple Period Judean origin are slated to star in a new film that challenges the traditional biography of Jesus Christ.

The film, 'Bloodline,' directed by Bruce Burgess and produced by René Barnett, asserts a “bloodline conspiracy” maintaining that Jesus married Mary Magdalene and fathered a child with her. After the crucifixion, Mary escaped Roman-controlled Judea by sea along with the child and their servants, eventually ending up in modern day southern France.
 
The film focuses on a tomb discovered near the Rennes-le-Chateau church where they found, according to a press release from the movie, “a buried wooden chest with artifacts that date to first century Jerusalem and a tomb with a mummified corpse draped in a shroud bearing a red cross.”
 
Burgess said in the press release that “I am not an archaeologist or a historian. I am just a filmmaker who is fascinated by the huge implications of this story, with the same questions that so many of us have about faith versus history. The goal of my producer, René Barnett, and I,” he continued, “was to find the hard evidence that would help prop up the idea of this bloodline and I knew it was a long shot.”

The tomb discovered in France has not been fully excavated, but inside, surrounding the body, were several artifacts, including a number of bottles containing rolled-up parchments. One of the bottles contained a map that led to a nearby cave where a wooden chest was found. Inside the chest were found two pottery vessels, a glass vessel and several coins.

[Okane]

Renowned Israeli archaeologist Dr. Gabi Barkay examined the contents of the chest and described them in more detail. One of the pottery vessels, he said, is an ungentarium jar typically used for perfumes, while the other is a small bowl known as unguent ware. The glass vessel is an elongated alabastra, also known as a “tear bottle,” made of blown glass. Some thirty coins were also found dating primarily to the Hasmonean, Herodian, and Byzantine Periods, with a single silver coin of the Crusader period minted in Jerusalem.

Without commenting on the validity of the “bloodline conspiracy” story of the movie, Barkay said that all of the objects found in the wooden chest, besides of course the Crusader coin, are indeed of the 1st century BCE-1st century CE and of Judean origin. He said that they are “very typical to Second Temple Period Jerusalem,” and that “they can be found in large numbers in tombs in Jerusalem, but in other parts of Judea as well.”

His conclusions were verified by researchers at the British Museum in London.
         
Barkay stressed that the objects are all very common to the period and are themselves archaeologically nothing extraordinary. However the filmmakers said “The chest find has particular significance because of the prevailing local legend in southwest France that Mary Magdalene, often portrayed with an alabaster anointing jar, came there after leaving Jerusalem.”

“Its still early days,” Burgess concludes, “but they might be the first steps towards a new chapter in our understanding of the real Jesus.”

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Bloodline Website

http://www.bloodlinethemovie.com/

[Okane]

http://www.bloodline-themovie.com/blog/

http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=4778593&affil=kabc

[Okane]

MONDAY 5th MAY 2008 11am ET / 8am PT
From the Scheuer Auditorium
at The Jewish Museum on 5th Avenue in Manhattan.

Bloodline Director Bruce Burgess and Producer Rene Barnett will be joined by an impressive panel to announce the film and its discoveries to the world media.

Dr Gabriel Barkay, senior lecturer, Bar Ilan University, Jerusalem
Reverend Lionel Fanthorpe, senior lecturer, Cardiff Academy, Wales
Detective Inspector Colin Taylor, Metropolitan Police (ret)
The Right Reverend Shelby Spong, Bishop of Newark (ret)

For more information:
http://www.bloodline-themovie.com/

[Okane]

 Comments from the following blog entry: http://hidingplainsight.wordpress.com/2008/07/15/raclette-and-me-adventures-in-france-part-3/

posted @ Thursday, September 24, 2009 2:02 AM
Comments from the following blog entry: http://lauralouise91.wordpress.com/2011/03/04/leonardo-da-vinci-research/

posted @ Friday, May 13, 2011 4:10 PM
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posted @ Friday, May 13, 2011 4:10 PM
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posted @ Friday, May 13, 2011 4:12 PM
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posted @ Friday, May 13, 2011 4:12 PM

[Aimee]

Protectors of the Bloodline of Christ