Question: Joseph Caiaphas. Answer: Ossuaries are burial boxes used for long term storage of bones in tombs. After the body had been reduced to bones by decay, the bones were gathered up in these carved boxes both as a memorial and a space saving device. The first photo below shows some of the variety of sizes and shapes. The second photo below shows the ossuary inscribed with information identifying its occupant as Joseph Caiaphas, who was the high priest from 18 to 36 A.D. [First century historian Josephus Flavius called him: "Joseph who is called Caiaphas": Antiquities of the Jews 23: 35, 39] Matthew 26:3-4 Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, and they plotted to arrest Jesus in some sly way and kill him. An article about the palace of Joseph Caiaphas is here.