'Jesus tomb' found in Jerusalem

Jesus had a son named Judah and was buried alongside Mary Magdalene, according to a new documentary by Hollywood film director James Cameron.

It examines a tomb that, it is claimed, belonged to Jesus and his family, and was found near Jerusalem in 1980.

The Oscar-winning director of Titanic says statistical analysis and DNA show the tomb is that of Jesus.

Archaeologists say that the burial cave is probably that of a Jewish family with similar names to Jesus's family.

Israeli construction workers building an apartment complex in East Talpiot, in the West Bank, first uncovered 10 2,000-year-old ossuaries - or limestone coffins - in a tomb in March 1980.

According to the Israel Antiquities Authority, six of those coffins were marked with the names Mary; Matthew; Jesua son of Joseph; Mary; Jofa (Joseph, Jesus' brother); and Judah son of Jesua.

The documentary The Lost Tomb of Jesus, produced by Mr Cameron, claims tests on samples from two of the coffins show Jesus and Mary Magdalene were likely to have been buried in them and were a couple.

The filmmakers used this finding to claim that the coffin marked "Judah son of Jesua" contains the son of Jesus and Mary.

But they say the discovery of the tomb does not mean that Jesus was not resurrected three days after his death - a key Christian belief.

Israeli archaeologist Amos Kloner says the names marked on the coffins were very common at the time.

"I don't accept the news that it was used by Jesus or his family," he told the BBC News website.

"The documentary filmmakers are using it to sell their film."

Mr Cameron will show two of the coffins at a news conference in New York on Monday.

"It doesn't get bigger than this," he said in a press release.

"We've done our homework; we've made the case; and now it's time for the debate to begin."

Local residents said they were pleased with the attention the tomb has drawn.

"It will mean our house prices will go up because Christians will want to live here," one woman said.