3 reasons Christians can be assured Jesus was crucified with nails

By Ian M. Giatti, Christian Post Reporter Wednesday, April 23, 2025

Archaeological evidence validates crucifixion with nails

Archaeological discoveries provide tangible proof of crucifixion with nails in the time and region of Jesus.

In 1968, excavations in Jerusalem uncovered a heel bone pierced by a 7-inch iron nail, the first direct evidence of a crucifixion victim from the first century A.D. This find, reported by the Israel Antiquities Authority, confirms that nails were used to secure victims' feet to the cross, consistent with the biblical description of Jesus' wounds.

Further excavations in Jerusalem and Galilee have unearthed additional crucifixion nails, offering a clearer picture of Roman execution practices. One of the remains uncovered was a heel bone, still transfixed by the nail, demonstrating what scholars say was the precision and brutality of crucifixion, aligning with the wounds Jesus endured.

According to the report, archaeologists now believe the victim's legs straddled the vertical shaft of the cross, one leg on either side, with the nails penetrating the heel bones. The head of the nail, according to researchers, secured the foot to the wood and prevented the condemned from pulling free.

These artifacts, combined with the 1968 discovery, corroborate the historical and biblical accounts, grounding the narrative in physical evidence.