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Holy Grail Found in Da Vinci’s Last Supper
Status: True (in my opinion)
Here's a bit of a mystery. I received an email from someone called Prastil who wrote, "Check this hoax out: DaVinciGrail.com." The site he directed me to claims that the holy grail has finally been discovered in Da Vinci's painting of the Last Supper. For centuries people have wondered why Da Vinci omitted the grail from his painting, given that the grail is one of the central elements of the Last Supper story. Its absence has spawned a variety of theories, such as the one elaborated in Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code, that the holy grail was Mary Magdalene's uterus (and that the figure to the left of Jesus in the painting is Mary Magdalene). But DaVinciGrail.com claims that Da Vinci actually did include the grail in his painting, if you look hard enough. He concealed it as a symbol on the wall above the head of St. Bartholomew, the disciple at the extreme left. (I highlighted the cup in the image below).

It may seem a bit farfetched that after centuries someone discovered a detail in the Last Supper that no one had ever seen before, but as far as I can tell, that's the case. The man who noticed the grail in the painting was Gary Phillips, a Michigan computer programmer (and cryptologist). He was aided in his discovery by the fact that the painting was recently cleaned, revealing details previously concealed by dirt and grime. Of course, Phillips could be seeing a shape that was not intentionally placed there by Da Vinci, but once you see the cup, it seems so obvious that it's hard to believe it wasn't placed there on purpose. The legitimacy of Phillips's claim to have discovered this hidden detail is noted on a number of sites, such as About.com's Art History blog.

Now here's where things get strange. Phillips has nothing to do with DaVinciGrail.com. Instead, Phillips maintains a separate site called Realm of Twelve. DaVinciGrail.com is registered to (drumroll, please) Prastil, the same guy who emailed me telling me that the site was a hoax. Why did Prastil claim his site was a hoax? Was he trying to get me to write about his site, not thinking that I would check the domain registration? I have no idea (and I wrote about it anyway). But Phillips's discovery of the grail hidden as a symbol on the wall in The Last Supper seems real enough to me... unless there's some part of the story that I'm not clued in to. (Very possible.)
image
Categories: Art
Posted by Alex on Tue Sep 27, 2005
Comments (123)
More from the Hoax Museum Archives:
Thanks to the zoom in pic, one can clearly see that it is not a grail especially on the right side. Besides unless Jesus was gay, you know he did a little he-haw with Mary Mag.

If you think that the Bible is 100% true, it would pay mind to remember that even the Dead Sea Scrolls are owned by and only tranlasted by Catholics, who throughout mid history would kill anyone with a different view; doesn't killing because of an opinion go against the Bible's teaching? They used the Bible as a way to govern and control a populus and get rich.

Truth is what (you make) people believe, not what necessarily actually is. President Bush does it all the time...
Posted by ASDF  on  Wed Mar 29, 2006  at  02:40 PM
I am currently readin Dan Brown's novel, The Davinci Code, and by the time i had finished the 40th chapter i was intruiged by the rumor that there were hidden "codes" in the painting. I went to the zoomable image that Simon Richard Clarkstone provided and my father and i picked through the markings in the background little by little. It is true that after a while, we seemed to see objects in every formation of paint. From seagulls to "grafitti style" letters. But, finally, we found a "mark" that unmistakibally resembles the sixteenth president of the united states - abraham lincoln. If you move the box in the zoomable image so that it is directly above the head of the disciple second from the left (the one with the blond hair) and zoom in, again, to the furthest degree, you can most definately see a man with a beard, significantly low ears ( a characteristic lincoln was famous for)wearing a union generals outfit from the american civil war and with his hand left in his pocket. you can almost make out the yellow bands on his shoulder, as those on american militia uniforms. also, i seemed to have noticed a demonic looking man peering around the table on the left side, in St. Bartholomew's robes, with very distinct facial features and a long beard. Perhaps, as Charybdis put it, it is simply "wishful thinking". maybe we see so much mystery in Da Vinci's work because we want to believe that there is something worth searching for. nevertheless, i, being a hopeful, see faces through the painting, mostly on the darker areas painted behind the table scene. and besides, the painting is large enough for Da Vinci to have been able to purposely hide the things people have found. In my opinion, he was a genius. I look up to him and his mysteriousness.
Posted by Anony.  on  Sat Apr 08, 2006  at  09:19 PM
Just curious as to why the guy on Jesus' left is pointing up and what the words are above everyone? I can't find a single site telling me what those words are. I know the finger pointing up thing is a part of Da Vinci's style, but I'm curious as to why the guy is pointing his finger up in this particular painting.

Also, there is a chance that the person on Jesus' right could be John. You decide.





John the Baptist



Also, Plato pointing his finger.
Plato
Posted by Brian  on  Thu Apr 20, 2006  at  08:58 PM

Oops, the Plato image got cut off.
Posted by Brian  on  Thu Apr 20, 2006  at  09:01 PM
To make it short:

http://home.arcor.de/berzelmayr/st-john.html
Posted by Batz  on  Sat Apr 22, 2006  at  01:12 AM
I found one of those websites where you can move around and zoom in on a picture (can't remember where). Turns out it wasn't a cup but part of the architecture. See for yourself.
Posted by Someone  on  Sun Apr 23, 2006  at  03:44 PM
I wrote a letter about three weeks ago which I apologise for because I didnt allow myself time to calm down before i tried to explain it. The letter was concerning the doorway found in the shafts of the queens chamber by rudolph gatenbrink with his robot upuaut. I am very new on the computer and I want to include the picture of the doorway but Ive tried everything and cant seem to do it so please take the time to see it because its definetely worth it. the picture can be seen when you type in upuaut project when you get to the sight click on the first one the upuaut story then there is a list and if you go to the one that says 1993 after that scroll down and you will see a picture of the door, Now after that scroll up to the enlarged last supper on this sight and youll see the same thing up on the wall above jesus right hand . now here is the shocker , i got a magnifying glass because i had to be certain and i was right. right above mary magdalines arm , if you look close you can clearly see the robot upuaut. thats all for now i have more to say about it but will wait for someone else to see it first. catherine
Posted by catherine higgs  on  Tue Apr 25, 2006  at  11:35 PM
"Just curious as to why the guy on Jesus' left is pointing up and what the words are above everyone? I can't find a single site telling me what those words are."
-- posted by Brian Apr. 20th

As far as I know, the stuff painted in the arched tympanum things aren't actually a part of "The Last Supper". The hall that has that painting in the end has these little shields and letters painted elsewhere along the top of its walls. I expect that they were painted by some other artist, perhaps in commemoration of something or another.

It's hard to see some of the letters, and I have no idea what they could be abbreviating, but here is what I can see of them. On the left side of the leftmost tympanum, from top to bottom, is "M", "SE", and "CO", and on the right side are "MX", "AN", and "PP". In the middle tympanum is "LV", "BE", "SE", and "DV", then "[possibly A]A", "[something]S[something]", and "AN". On the far right tympanum is painted "SF", "DVX", and then finally "AN" and "BA[possibly R or P]". I could be wrong on some of those letters; many are difficult to see. They remind me of the abbreviations for the names of saints that are often shown on religious icons, though.
Posted by Accipiter  on  Wed Apr 26, 2006  at  03:41 AM
Catherine Higgs, if you're talking about this white square with two black dots in it



then you have to keep in mind that that's not really what Da Vinci painted. What he painted looks more like this, in the restored version:



If you want a nice view of the restored painting, you can go to http://milano.arounder.com/category/fullscreen/IT000005356.html and look at it.
Posted by Accipiter  on  Wed Apr 26, 2006  at  03:57 AM
And here's where you're saying you see that robot:



And this is the robot:



I'm just not seeing it.
Posted by Accipiter  on  Wed Apr 26, 2006  at  04:05 AM
yeah, well haven't you noticed the "m" that mary, yes mary, not peter...unless peter was gay,and jesus form?and yes.. i also believe that mary was the holy grail. not by the priory of sion either because it didn't exist till the 1930's.http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f118/magicalvampire/marymagdalene.jpg
Posted by laura  on  Mon May 08, 2006  at  08:07 AM
alright there buddy obviously its mary mag in the picture shes not the holy grail.your close but no cigar.The holy grail is something wanted by many,but most people dont even know what it is and what the priory of sion is,or why the knights of the teplars where killed and were trying to be wiped of the planet earth.they were protecting mary,but they also took secrets with them to there grave not reveiling where she was or the rest of the secrets of the bible.Lets just say this if the world truly honestly knew the truth.One the catholic church would have a fit,and life as we know it would never be the same. the secrets out there noone is just really looking or looking at the wrong spot.Iam just like you and others i want to know the truth. whats out there? who or what is really protecting us out here?Are we really going to heaven.Is what we are told since we were little true or false?Think about this We are told from a young age about God church the whole nine yards,now so are muslims,hindus,and everyother relegion out there.Now why are we right?and not them i was raised like most americans chistian beliefs,but why did christians persecute indians because they didnt believe in the same God.Our whole world revolves around God,and relegion wheter we want to believe it or not.
Posted by mmawhipnsnap  on  Mon May 08, 2006  at  03:57 PM
"yeah, well haven't you noticed the "m" that mary, yes mary, not peter...unless peter was gay,and jesus form?and yes.. i also believe that mary was the holy grail. not by the priory of sion either because it didn't exist till the 1930's."
-- posted by laura

Firstly: the picture doesn't form an "M". What it forms is



and you're simply taking an arbitrary section of that. You could also look elsewhere and say that the people at the table form the letter "W", "U", "I", "J", "L", "Z", "V", "C", or "N" quite easily, and make good cases for most of the other letters in the alphabet, too. And that's just going with the Roman alphabet; if you go into the Greek or Hebrew, you can find even more.

Secondly: even if it does form an "M", so what? Is that supposed to mean something?
Posted by Accipiter  on  Tue May 09, 2006  at  01:01 AM
I agree with you accipter the fact that it makes more then one letter and besides i dont even think that matters.It holds no significance.I think the picture was made to depict jesus in his last supper.The whole code thing is blown out of the water everything has a code then if you want to get technical.The only real code i see in these pictures is that mary magdeline was to his left.
Posted by mmawhipnsnap  on  Tue May 09, 2006  at  05:28 AM
The Holy Grail is a women, Mary Mangadlene, Jesus's wife
Posted by Da Vinceee  on  Tue May 09, 2006  at  11:46 AM
Wow, you'd think somebody else would have pointed this out before!

Oh wait, they did. I guess some people can't be bothered to read what came before them.

It's still a myth.
Posted by Charybdis  on  Tue May 09, 2006  at  12:00 PM
Heh, I think it's more of a case that some people believe everything they read.
Posted by Smerk  on  Tue May 09, 2006  at  07:08 PM
I believe you, Smerk!
Posted by Accipiter  on  Wed May 10, 2006  at  01:36 AM
Jesus had a daughter with mary magdeline.Thats what the holy grail is.the reason why its protected is because the catholic church along with many other relegions would be in jeoprady.The fact is that its the proof that jesus died with sin by having sex before marriage.THEREare a bunch of groups out there protecting this thats why not alot of people have heard it, but the truth is out there whether we believe it,or not.These secret groups are protecting something maybe its the bloodline of Jesus break down the word sangreal from back in the day.this is where the holy grail word comes from if you break the word in half as san greal it means holy grail now sang real means holy blood. look it up folks.I garentee that people will argue this till the day they die but you know what having faith is the number one reason why this country is as civilized as it is our laws are way of life.
Posted by mmawhipnsnap  on  Wed May 10, 2006  at  05:21 AM
Sorry...it still sounds too much like the back story to a popular fictional book to me.
Posted by Smerk  on  Wed May 10, 2006  at  05:58 AM
buddy....dont you think thats how they would want everyone to think.If it was out there in the open of course then it would sound real.by book im assuming "holy blood,holy grail".
Posted by mmawhipnsnap  on  Wed May 10, 2006  at  11:19 AM
So it must be true because it's in a work of fiction?

Damn man, now I can hardly wait for the Vulcans to get here.
Posted by Charybdis  on  Wed May 10, 2006  at  02:47 PM
Heh, and I guess that's a logical argument to prove that dragons exist, too.
Posted by Smerk  on  Wed May 10, 2006  at  06:50 PM
wow...okay you all wait and see as you want find oput what a mason truly is atleast a high one i dont need to argue nor listien to any smart ass comments. straight up..Do research but then again wait a second theres no point because some one find out and try to cover it up by making a fictional book ....whoops, i guess im wrong then
Posted by mmawhipnsnap  on  Wed May 10, 2006  at  07:22 PM
You mean the research that shows that there weren't any mentions anywhere of the idea that the Holy Grail was a person until just a few years ago, when the idea was thought up by a weird French con artist who created the Priory of Sion and designated himself its Grand Master or whatever, and then wrote a bunch of documents (which don't even agree with each other) that were then used as the basis of several books, and that these papers are the only confirming "evidence" of this theory? Or perhaps the research that shows that the idea of there even being a Holy Grail was the creation of a few Christian communities in Western Europe during the Middle Ages, and that they just considered it to be some sort of a cup or bowl?

And the whole "the books were written to cover it up" notion doesn't make any sense, since there wouldn't have been anything to cover up until the books came out. If you've managed to keep something a complete secret for 2,000 years without anybody else knowing about it, you wouldn't need a cover story.
Posted by Accipiter  on  Wed May 10, 2006  at  08:55 PM
what i want to know is whos hand is it that has the dagger? its by the man to the left of mary...
and in front of the man who is leaning towards her and has his hand on her shoulder...hmmmmmmmmmmm
Posted by beverly  on  Fri May 12, 2006  at  07:50 PM
Go here

http://milan.arounder.com/da_vinci_last_supper/java.html

for the clearest picture of it, u wont get any better than when your actually there. You can zoom in and out.
Posted by DAN  on  Sun May 14, 2006  at  08:13 PM
the holy grail has gone missing even out of the original portrait because the man thrid in from the left is being accused of steeling or having information of where it is by the 3 men on the oppersite of the table.
Posted by arron  on  Mon May 15, 2006  at  10:07 AM
updated

the holy grail has gone missing even out of the original portrait because the man thrid in from the left is being accused of steeling or having information of where it is by the 3 men on the oppersite of the table, but has actualy been stolen by the man in the blue next to him and holds a dagger at him to keep him quiet and the holy grail is inside his bag.
sorry if im wrong but if im right i want the credit please
Posted by arron  on  Mon May 15, 2006  at  10:27 AM
the dagger isnt being held by anyone at the table, there are 12 apostles and jesus, if you count the number of hands on this picture

http://www.museumofhoaxes.com/hoax?URL=http://milan.arounder.com%2Fda_vinci_last_supper%2Fjava.html (clearest you will get)

you get 27, there should be 26 unless one of them had 3 hands. If the man in blue your talking about being the man who seems to be being whispered at by the other man, he actually has his hands clasped together. It is definatly not his hand. Some have argued that infact the figure with the pink shroud is not a man and is infact Mary Magdalene, the lover of jesus. Hope this helps anything 😛
Posted by Dan  on  Mon May 15, 2006  at  07:01 PM
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