NewsSupporters of James Ossuary Inscription’s Authenticity Vindicated Talkback Add Your Comment
The story was reported by Matthew Kalman in the San Francisco Chronicle, and from there around the world. He described Judge Aharon Farkash’s evaluation as a “humiliating collapse” of the government’s case and “a major embarrassment ... for the [Israel] Antiquities Authority.” The government’s star witness, Yuval Goren, former chairman of Tel Aviv University’s institute of archaeology, was forced to admit on cross-examination that there is original ancient patina in the word “Jesus,” the last word in the inscription that reads “James, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus.” Recent events have also proved humiliating for the IAA in connection with the committee it appointed that supposedly came to a unanimous decision that the inscription is a forgery. In fact, several members of the committee expressed no opinion—but the IAA counted them as “yes” votes. Several other members of the committee based their vote not on their own expertise, but on Yuval Goren’s supposed expertise, which they were in no position to evaluate. One member of the committee who would have found the inscription authentic said he was “forced” to change his mind based on Goren’s scientific arguments. No paleographer expert in the script of this period has found any paleographical problem with the inscription. And several scientists at the trial have undermined Goren’s scientific arguments. No other scientist has supported Goren’s arguments. BAR has consistently supported the authenticity of the inscription, as have leading paleographers André Lemaire of the Sorbonne and Ada Yardeni of Hebrew University. All appear now to be vindicated.  Related Coverage on the James Ossuary and Forgery TrialJames Ossuary Forgery Case in Shambles (Press Release)
Israel Antiquities Authority vs. Conspiracy of (Alleged) Forgers
Jerusaelem Forgery Conference Report
Additional Reading from the BAS LibraryBurial Box of James the Brother of Jesus, by André Lemaire Brother of Jesus Ossuary: New Tests Bolster Case for Authenticity, by Edward J. Keall Israel Antiquities Authority‘s Report Deeply Flawed, by André Lemaire
It's Jacob's Ossuary, not James'I'm curious and getting upset that the wrong and false names are read into the inscription when it is translated to English. It should read, even in English, as 'Yeshua' and 'Jacob' not 'Jesus' and 'James'. It's my plea. Let's get to the original wording for the original issues. • • • • • • • As Jesus said, "Even the Rocks will Praise Him."I saw an amazing documentary on the Discovery channel about this archeological find. Since then, I have been following this story. After hearing about how the court validated that the ossurary of James was authentic, the discovery program coupled with a wide array of evidence to the life of Christ puts the rest the weak argument from atheists that Jesus never existed. Every year more and more Bible skeptics are becoming discredited as solid archeological evidence is turning their speculations of doubt into fabrications born from a rebellious mind. If we don't Praise and Glorify God, "Even the Rocks will Cry out." (Luke 19:37-40) ...And through archaeology they are! • • • • • • • JAMES OSSUARYThe skeptics are nervous! Closed minds rest uneasy! • • • • • • • Whomever thgis Jesus was...Finding a tomb box with the name Yeshua (Jesus) on it means nothing. It was a very common name in those times. And if it is James the brother of Jesus it still means nothing. The name James was also very typical in that period. This discovery is just another bones box and it should be laid to rest like it was intended to do. • • • • • • • Jesus' bone BoxPerhaps, since the patina is in the name "Jesus" that the other parts are later. Maybe this is the bone box of Jesus and he wasn't risen from the dead. • • • • • • • OssuaryThanks Hershel! • • • • • • • Guilt by association harder to pull nowThe 'guilt by association' trick, e.g. claiming that the ossuary is a fake because it was found at the house of an alleged forger, won't fly now that Goren has finally admitted what others had already pointed out: there is original patina in the 'Jesus' (e.g. the allegedly forged) inscription. The inscription is not a fake prepared by Golan in his bathtub (although unfortunately it was scrubbed with soap!). Whether it ever held the bones of James the Brother of *that* Jesus we do not know, and cannot know. However, the argument against this possibility can no longer be made on the grounds of an alleged forgery. Let us move to the new question, please. • • • • • • • Oded Golan Forgery TrialIn his posting on the latest development in the Oded Golan forgery trial over the James, brother of Jesus ossuary, Hershel Shanks asserts "Inscription's Authenticity Vindicated". I have not yet come to my own conclusion on the ossuary's authenticity, but Shanks is reading too much into the judge's comments in this case. Israel, like the U.S., has a beyond a reasonable doubt standard for criminal trials. According to the San Francisco Chronicle (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/10/29/MN3U13QHMD.DTL), the judge's comments to the prosecutor included "Have you really proved beyond a reasonable doubt that these artifacts are fakes as charged in the indictment?" The fact that a prosecutor has not convinced a judge or jury of the defendant's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt is not a vindication of the defendant; it only means that he is not legally guilty. A good example of someone who many believe to be factually guilty in that he did commit the crime, even though a jury was not convinced beyond a reasonable doubt, is O. J. Simpson. Shanks conveniently leaves out the judge's reasonable doubt comment. • • • • • • • Authentic inscription; ambiguous identificationMany readers and other lay readers will probably not be able to distinguish what is said here from saying that it's the tomb of Jesus of Nazareth. As many have pointed out, there were tons of Jesus's and Joseph's back then. • • • • • • • JESUS BONE BOXWOW. This is very exciting since Toronto was the first place in the world where this curious artifact was shown publically. At the time, it was the top news story around the world. It made people focus on who Jesus was and still is and who he was decended from and who he was related to. • • • • • • • james: son of joseph; brother of jesuswill this destroy christianity? of course not. its just a call for it to return to its roots. which is jewish. • • • • • • • Forgery TrialIt's about time that they drop this case. I'm no paleographer but the fact that the patinia in the inscription is now admidtedly authentic, what was already a poor case is now sunk. So, a congratulations must go to the editor on this one! You stuck to your guns and you won! Fantastic! There is on problem though: I don't think you will be a welcome guest at any IAA dig for the forseeable future. Too bad, because it's their loss. • • • • • • • |
The New Encyclopedia of Archaeological Excavations in the Holy Land, Supplemental Volume 5
Real or Fake? Jerusalem Forgery Conference Report
A recent conference in Jerusalem brought together leading scholars to discuss vexing issues regarding forgery: Are several famous objects actually fakes? How can they be tested? And should they even be studied by scholars?
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The “forgery trial of the century” has all but blown up. The trial judge who will decide the case—there are no juries in Israel—has told the prosecution to consider dropping the case. “Not every case ends in the way that you think it will when you start,” Judge Aharon Farkash told prosecutor Adi Damti in open court. “Maybe we can save ourselves the rest,” the judge told her.
