The Table for the Last Supper
Episode 37
What kind of table did Jesus and the disciples use during their last supper? We had to find out!
You may think that Leonardo da Vinci's famous painting showed what it looked like but we found out it probably wasn't like that. As well as the bible we used the internet and a BBC programme about Jesus to help our research - Leonardo definitely didn't have all those resources!
In first century Israel, a feast would use a triclinium - a three sided table. People would have lain on cushions and leaned over rather than sat at the table. Actually no one can be absolutely sure what the Last Supper table looked like, but this is what we think based on our research.
The place of honour was on the left hand arm of the table as you faced it. So that is probably where Jesus sat, with John on one side and Judas on the other. Our research suggests that Peter sat in the place of least honour - at the far end of the opposite end of the table. We simply don't know where the other disciples sat!
Click the picture to see a larger version - you might want to save it or print it too!