Family burial caves were used for generations and many
ossuaries accumulated in them. The ossuaries were sometimes
incised with the names of the deceased in Greek, Aramaic,
or Hebrew – the three common languages of the time. The
names of the deceased were occasionally accompanied by
the individual’s lineage, place of origin, or profession. Such
inscriptions are a rich source of information on the structure
and diversity of Jewish society at the time. Many of the names of members of Jesus’ family and circle as we know them from the
New Testament appear on ossuaries of this time.