Nexus - 0406 - New Times Magazine-pages

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Removing more rubble, the men discovered that a shelf of bedrock extended out from the cliff-face by about 2.4 metres (eight feet). It appeared to be a platform. In the platform lay a large, squarish stone which appeared unnaturally symmetrical. With closer examination Wyatt dis- covered apparent finger-holds on the sides of the stone, allowing it to be grasped for removal. Raising this stone revealed it to be a ‘plug’ cov- ering a roughly square ‘hole' chiselled into the bedrock. The hole was recessed to prevent the plug from falling all the way in, thus creating an effective lid. Completely empty, the hole had the appearance of a post-hole laboriously cut out of solid rock. As the surrounding dirt was cleared away, a large crack was discovered extending out from the hole. The crack didn't appear to be man- made. Instead, it seemed more likely the result of an earth movement. CRUCIFIXION SITE DISCOVERED Digging was resumed in front of the platform into an area of packed earth. A lower level of bedrock was struck 1.2 metres (four feet) deeper. Once cleared, three more squarish holes were dis- The stone ‘plug’ found in a shelf of bedrock extending out from the cliff-face. covered chiselled into the lower bedrock in front of the platform. through. Emerging into a wider area, Ron saw a tiny opening in Wyatt believed that these holes were specially made to hold cruci- _ the wall of the passage. Directly in front of the hole was a stalac- fixion crosses. tite about 40 centimetres (16 inches) long. It almost appeared to The elevated cross-hole was measured and found to extend 60 _ be guarding the hole. centimetres (23% inches) into solid bedrock. It appeared that this Moments after Rafat was sent crawling through the tiny open- was where the 'star attraction’ was crucified, elevated several feet ing, he came tumbling back frantically, crying, "I'm not going above those crucified around him. back in there!" He was trembling and shaking and his eyes Without doubt, the team had uncovered a crucifixion site. It showed complete and utter terror—yet he claimed not to have was located on a ledge in front of a hill facing a public road. seen anything. Whatever his experience, it was stark and real. He Could this be the actual site of the Crucifixion of Jesus of left the chamber and never returned. Nazareth? Biblical writings tell that this event took place near Skull Hill, the Place of the Skull—this very place. EXCITEMENT AND TERROR IN THE TUNNELS It was late 1980. The team had now been toiling for nearly two years. However, the object of their search continued to elude them. They had checked all along the cliff-face with no sign of a cave or tunnel, yet if the Ark were in that location at all it would surely be hidden in a cave. Wyatt decided that the time had come to attempt to break through the cliff-face. To their delight they soon broke into a cavity inside the cliff. But initial excitement soon turned to drudgery. The cavern proved to be just a very small part of an extensive honeycomb of natural caves and tunnels inside the mountain. Each time that tunnels were discovered, they were disappointingly found to be empty. December 1981 rolled on. One young local who had proven very honest and trustworthy was Rafat (not his real name). Being small and slender, this young man was a real help in squeezing through some of the impossibly tight tunnels of the excavations and reporting everything that he saw. Ron and Rafat followed one particularly difficult pas- sageway which led through a 'chimney' to connect witha | tunnel so narrow that Ron had to exhale just to wriggle The author, Jonathan Gray, with the stone ‘plug’. NEXUS - 57 OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 1997