The James ossuary was on display at the Royal Ontario Museum from November 15, 2002 to January 5, 2003.

Close-up of the inscription. Carved in Aramaic. “Ya'akov bar Yosef akhui di Yeshua.” English translation: “James, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus.”

The James Ossuary is a sepulchral urn for containing bones, which was found in Israel in 2002 and was claimed to have been the ossuary of James, the brother of Jesus. Its provenance is now debated, some arguing that it is a modern forgery, and other scholars continuing to maintain its historical authenticity. Its discovery was followed in January 2003 by another contentious archaeological "find" soon connected with Oded Golan, the so-called "Jehoash Inscription" (see below). Recently, the documentary film The Lost Tomb Of Jesus has been connected with this find. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2400x1945, 612 KB)The James Ossuary. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2400x1945, 612 KB)The James Ossuary. ... The Royal Ontario Museum, commonly known as the ROM (rhyming with Tom), is a major museum for world culture and natural history in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2400x1945, 1123 KB)The James Ossuary – close-up of the inscription. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2400x1945, 1123 KB)The James Ossuary – close-up of the inscription. ... Aramaic is a Semitic language with a four-thousand year history. ... For album titles with the same name, see 2002 (album). ... An ossuary is a chest, building, well, or site made to serve as the final resting place of human skeletal remains. ... Saint James the Just (יעקב Holder of the heel; supplanter; Standard Hebrew Yaʿaqov, Tiberian Hebrew Yaʿăqōḇ), also called James Adelphos, James of Jerusalem, or the Brother of the Lord[1] and sometimes identified with James the Less, (died AD 62) was an important figure in Early Christianity. ... This article is about Jesus of Nazareth. ... Forgery is the process of making or adapting objects or documents (see false document), with the intention to deceive. ... Oded Golan (b. ... The James Ossuary is a sepulchral urn for containing bones, which was found in Israel in 2002 and was claimed to have been the ossuary of James, the brother of Jesus. ... The Lost Tomb of Jesus is a documentary co-produced and first broadcast on the Discovery Channel and Vision TV in Canada on March 4, 2007 covering the discovery of the Talpiot Tomb. ...

The James Ossuary

On October 21, 2002, a press conference hosted by the Discovery Channel and the Biblical Archaeology Society, anticipating a report in the Society's Biblical Archaeology Review (November 2002), presented a small chalk ossuary that bore an inscription יעקוב בר יוסף אחוי ד ישוע (Yaakov bar Yoseph Achui de Yeshua) "James son of Joseph, Brother of Jesus". If authentic, it would have been the first archaeological proof that Jesus existed beyond the manuscript tradition. October 21 is the 294th day of the year (295th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 71 days remaining. ... For album titles with the same name, see 2002 (album). ... Discovery Channel is a cable and satellite TV channel distributed by Discovery Communications that provides non-fiction programming focused on science, history and nature. ... The Biblical Archaeology Review (illuminating archaeology and the Bible) is the organ of the non-denominational Bible Archaeology Society which has been combining the excitement of archaeology and the latest in Bible scholarship since 1974 [1]. The Societys founder and editor-in-chief is Hershel Shanks. ... The Biblical Archaeology Review (illuminating archaeology and the Bible) is the organ of the non-denominational Bible Archaeology Society which has been combining the excitement of archaeology and the latest in Bible scholarship since 1974 [1]. The Societys founder and editor-in-chief is Hershel Shanks. ... For album titles with the same name, see 2002 (album). ... The Needles,situated on the Isle Of Wight, are part of the extensive Southern England Chalk Formation. ... The existence of Jesus, known by Christians as Jesus Christ (Jesus the Messiah) and by Muslims as Isa, is accepted by the followers of two world religions, Christianity and Islam, on the basis of their respective scriptures - the Bible and the Koran. ... A manuscript (Latin manu scriptus, written by hand), strictly speaking, is any written document that is put down by hand, in contrast to being printed or reproduced some other way. ...

Hershel Shanks, editor of the Biblical Archaeology Review, announced that it belonged to an anonymous Israeli antiquities collector. Identity of the owner was published in the Israeli daily newspaper Ha'aretz: a well-known collector of antiquities, Oded Golan, an engineer living in Tel Aviv, stated that he had bought the ossuary from an Arab antiquities dealer in the Old City of Jerusalem decades before, but had been unaware of the significance of the inscription. Hershel Shanks (born March 8, 1930, Sharon, Pennsylvania) is the founder of the Bible Archaeology Society and the editor of the Biblical Archaeology Review and has written and edited works on the Dead Sea Scrolls. ... The Biblical Archaeology Review (illuminating archaeology and the Bible) is the organ of the non-denominational Bible Archaeology Society which has been combining the excitement of archaeology and the latest in Bible scholarship since 1974 [1]. The Societys founder and editor-in-chief is Hershel Shanks. ... Archaeology, archeology, or archæology (from the Greek words αρχαίος = ancient and λόγος = word/speech/discourse) is the study of human cultures through the recovery, documentation and analysis of material remains and environmental data, including architecture, artefacts, biofacts, human remains, and landscapes. ... Haaretz (הארץ, The Land) is an Israeli newspaper, founded in 1919. ... Oded Golan (b. ... Tel-Aviv was founded on empty dunes north of the existing city of Jaffa. ...

The chalky limestone ossuary itself had been dated 1st century by Geological Survey of Israel (GSI) and André Lemaire of Sorbonne University in Paris. Lemaire considered that it was "very possible" that the ossuary had belonged to the biblical James. GSI had determined that the chalk of the ossuary was typical of Jerusalem ossuaries. A number of experts, including Kyle McCarter and Joseph A. Fitzmyer, SJ, believed that the writing could be dated to the period between 20 BC and AD 70, and an examination performed by the Geological Survey of Israel found that the ossuary did not appear to be a fake: "No sign of the use of a modern tool or instrument was found," the conclusion read in part. "No evidence that might detract from the authenticity of the patina and the inscription was found." The 1st century was that century which lasted from 1 to 100 according the Gregorian calendar. ... ... City flag City coat of arms Motto: Fluctuat nec mergitur (Latin: Tossed by the waves, she does not sink) Paris Eiffel tower as seen from the esplanade du Trocadéro. ... Hebrew יְרוּשָׁלַיִם (Yerushalayim) (Standard) Yerushalayim or Yerushalaim Arabic commonly القـُدْس (Al-Quds); officially in Israel أورشليم القدس (Urshalim-Al-Quds) Name Meaning Hebrew: (see below), Arabic: The Holiness Government City District Jerusalem Population 724,000 (2006) Jurisdiction 123,000 dunams (123 km²) Jerusalem (Hebrew:  , Yerushaláyim or Yerushalaim; Arabic:  , al-Quds, the Holiness)[2... Rev. ... The Statue of Liberty gets its green color from the patina formed on its copper surface Patinas are chemical compounds formed on the surface of metals. ...

The ossuary was going to be exhibited in Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) with permission of Israeli Antiquities Authority (IAA), and there was talk of various documentary deals. When the ossuary arrived in Toronto in the morning of October 31, 2002, the ROM personnel on hand were horrified to see that the ossuary was packed in a cardboard box (whereas the standard for shipping antiquities is typically within a foam-lined metal or wooden crate). The next day they proceeded to "unwrap" the ossuary, only to find the few layers of bubble-wrap which surrounded the ossuary were thin enough to show the cracks which ran through the once-solid stone, the largest of which went right through the famed inscription. When the museum conservators proceeded to repair the damage, they discovered a carved rosette decoration on the side opposite the inscription. The Royal Ontario Museum, commonly known as the ROM (rhyming with Tom), is a major museum for world culture and natural history in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. ... October 31 is the 304th day of the year (305th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 61 days remaining. ... For album titles with the same name, see 2002 (album). ...

Critical voices were soon heard. Robert Eisenman of California State University, Long Beach, a scholar specializing in biblical James, declared the discovery "too perfect". When the Toronto exhibition of the James Ossuary began, Oded Golan flew to Ontario to participate. Lemaire defended his conclusion in a related session of the Society of Biblical Literature. Shanks belittled his critics and defended Oded Golan. Dr. Robert H. Eisenman is a Professor of Middle East Religions and Archaeology and Director of the Institute for the Study of Judeo-Christian Origins at California State University, Long Beach; and Visiting Senior Member of Linacre College, Oxford University. ... California State University, Long Beach (also known as Long Beach State, Cal State Long Beach, CSULB, LBSU or The Beach) is the second largest campus of the California State University system and the third largest university in the state of California in terms of enrollment. ...

However, on June 18, 2003, the Israeli Antiquities Authority published a report concluding that the inscription is a modern forgery based on their analysis of the patina. Specifically, it appears that the inscription was added recently and made to look old by addition of a chalk solution. June 18 is the 169th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (170th in leap years), with 196 days remaining. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The Jehoash Inscription

In January 2003, another artifact, dubbed the "Jehoash Inscription", appeared in Israel. It was rumored to have surfaced in the construction site or in the Muslim cemetery near the Temple Mount of Jerusalem. It supposedly described repairs made to the temple in Jerusalem by Jehoash, son of King Ahaziah of Judah, and corresponded to the account in 2 Kings 12. Once again, the owner was an anonymous antiquities dealer, this time in Hebron. GSI initially backed up this claim as well. The Temple Mount as it appears today. ... Hebrew יְרוּשָׁלַיִם (Yerushalayim) (Standard) Yerushalayim or Yerushalaim Arabic commonly القـُدْس (Al-Quds); officially in Israel أورشليم القدس (Urshalim-Al-Quds) Name Meaning Hebrew: (see below), Arabic: The Holiness Government City District Jerusalem Population 724,000 (2006) Jurisdiction 123,000 dunams (123 km²) Jerusalem (Hebrew:  , Yerushaláyim or Yerushalaim; Arabic:  , al-Quds, the Holiness)[2... Jehoash (Jehovah-given), was king of Judah, and sole surviving son of Ahaziah. ... This entry is not about King Ahaziah of Israel. ... The Books of Kings (also known as [The Book of] Kings in Hebrew: Sefer Melachim מלכים) is a part of Judaisms Tanakh, the Hebrew Bible. ... The mostly deserted market in the old city. ...

The "find" also reignited the conflict between Muslim authorities on the Temple Mount and the Israeli group of Temple Mount Faithful, who declared that the find was a divine sign that the al-Aqsa Mosque of the Temple Mount should be demolished and the new temple built on it immediately. The Temple Mount as it appears today. ... The Temple Mount and Land of Israel Faithful Movement (or Temple Mount Faithful) was founded by Gershon Salomon, a former officer in the Israel Defence Forces who lectures on Middle Eastern studies. ... For other uses, see Al-aqsa (disambiguation). ...

In the unfolding scandal already surrounding the "James Ossuary", criticism appeared again. Israeli historian Nadav Na'aman, who had theorized that the books of the Kings could be based on public inscriptions, opined that the possible forger could have used his theory as a basis. Epigrapher Joseph Naveh of the Hebrew University revealed to the IAA and police that he had met the owners of the stone and had recognized the inscription as a collection of Hebrew, Aramaic and Moabite letters. Frank Cross of Harvard University noted various errors in spelling and terminology. Yuval Goren of Tel-Aviv University demonstrated how the convincing fake could be produced by abrasive airbrushing. The stone itself remained hidden. Epigraphy (Greek, επιγραφή - written upon) is the study of inscriptions engraved into stone or other permanent materials, or cast in metal, the science of classifying them as to cultural context and date, elucidating them and assessing what conclusions can be deduced from them. ... The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (האוניברסיטה העברית בירושלים) is one of Israels biggest and most important institutes of higher learning and research. ... Note: This article contains special characters. ... Aramaic is a Semitic language with a four-thousand year history. ... The Moabite language is an extinct Hebrew Canaanite dialect, spoken in Moab (modern-day northwestern Jordan) in the early first millennium BC. Most of our knowledge about Moabite comes from the Mesha Stele, as well as the El-Kerak Stela; this is sufficient to show that it was extremely similar... Harvard University (incorporated as The President and Fellows of Harvard College) , is a private university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. One of the eight Ivies, it was founded in 1636. ... Tel-Aviv University (TAU, אוניברסיטת תל-אביב) is one of Israels major universities. ... The airbrush is a small, highly precise spray gun for applying paint. ...

Police investigation

Israeli magazine Maariv correspondent Boaz Gaon reported that IIA Theft Unit had focused their attention of the "Jehoash Inscription" as being an expensive bait to defraud a prominent collector in London. Israeli investigators linked a phony business card and a telephone number to a Tel Aviv private eye who admitted that his employee was Oded Golan, the "collector" who owned the James Ossuary. Oded denied that he was the owner of the stone and claimed that the real owner was a Palestinian antiquities dealer who lived in an area under Palestinian Authority and must therefore remain nameless. Maariv (Hebrew evening) is a daily newspaper in Israel. ... Attorney business card 1895 Business cards are cards bearing business information about a company or individual. ... The West Bank The Palestinian National Authority (PNA or PA) is a semi-autonomous state institution nominally governing the bulk of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip (which it calls the Palestinian Territories). It was established as a part of Oslo accords between the PLO and Israel. ...

A March 19, 2003, article in Maariv told that court had issued a search warrant for Golan's apartment, office and rented warehouse. The search brought forth incriminating documents and photographs of Golan beside the Jehoash Inscription. Under interrogation, Golan promised to reveal the locations of the stone in exchange for immunity from prosecution but was refused. March 19 is the 78th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (79th in leap years). ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A search warrant is a written warrant issued by judge or magistrate which authorizes the police to conduct a search of a person or location for evidence of a criminal offense, and seize the evidence. ...

Then police made a new search in storage space that Golan had rented in Ramat Gan but had not disclosed to the police. They found scores of dubious artifacts, forged ancient seals and other inscriptions in various stages of production and tools and documentation to help in the manufacture of the forgeries. Under harsh questioning, Golan reputedly broke down, confessed and promised to hand over the Jehoash Inscription. Ramat Gan (רמת-גן) is a city in Israel, on the central coastal strip, just east of Tel Aviv, and part of the metropolis known as Gush Dan, in the Tel Aviv District. ...

IAA commission

Limor Livnat, Israeli Minister of Culture, mandated the work of a scientific commission to study the suspicious finds. IAA begun a heavy investigation about the affair. As for the James Ossuary, epigraphers of IAA concluded that the inscription was modern. Chalk type of the ossuary did match with the type of chalk in various other ancient ossuaries. However, Yuval Goren and Avner Ayalon of GSI identified three different coatings in the ossuary, the last of which was artificial and covered only the inscription. Letters had been cut through the patina and covered with artificial coating. Different parts of the text in different styles had been copied from a catalog of Jewish ossuaries and possible carved by the aid of scanning software. The ossuary was authentic - albeit unusual in shape - but the inscription was a fake. Limor Livnat, Minister of Education, Culture and Sport Limor Livnat (לימור לבנת) (born in Haifa, September 22nd, 1950) is an Israeli Politician. ... The Statue of Liberty gets its green color from the patina formed on its copper surface Patinas are chemical compounds formed on the surface of metals. ...

As for the Jehoash Inscription, the commission concluded that various mistakes in the spelling and the mixture of different alphabets indicated that this was a modern forgery. The stone was typical to western Cyprus and areas further west. Patina over the chiseled letters was different from that of the back of the stone and could easily be wiped off the stone by hand.

In a press conference in Jerusalem on June 18, 2003 the IAA commission declared that both inscriptions were modern forgeries. However, in an external expert report, dated September 2005, Professor Wolfgang E. Krumbein, a world-renowned authority of the Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg in Germany, threw new light on the controversy. His conclusions contradict those of the IAA and indicate that the patina in the inscription had been manipulated after the June 2003 declaration of the IAA: June 18 is the 169th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (170th in leap years), with 196 days remaining. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg is a university in Oldenburg, Germany. ...

The grainy whitish patina with yellow and grey particles embedded existing prior to 2005 and documented by the IAA as „James Bond“ material looks like Meyer cement used around 1900-1920 at the Acropolis Monuments in Athens and other places. Unfortunately these materials are presently no longer existing on the ossuary and have been totally eliminated for reasons unknown. 5) The pictures further document recent (2005) addition of a reddish sticky or powdery and also rock staining material. In places also scratches and dark (black) material was recently added. These materials do not exist in photographic documents prior to 2005.

Krumblein concludes that "Our preliminary investigations cannot prove the authenticity of the three objects beyond any doubt. Doubtlessly the patina is continuous in many places throughout surface and lettering grooves in the case of ossuary and tablet. On the other hand a proof of forgery is not given by the experts nominated by the IAA."[1]

Aftermath

The Israeli Antiquities Authority has never offered any report explaining why it concluded the ossuary is a forgery. Therefore, a number of international experts refuse to agree that it is a forgery until the IAA allows scholars to review its findings. For example, Ed Keall, the Senior Curator at the Royal Ontario Museum, Near Eastern & Asian Civilizations Department, continues to argue for the ossuary’s authenticity, saying “the ROM has always been open to questioning the ossuary's authenticity, but so far no definitive proof of forgery has yet been presented, in spite of the current claims being made."[2] Meanwhile Biblical Archaeology Review also continued to defend the ossuary. In articles in the February 2005 issues, several experts in writing on stone argue that the James Ossuary is authentic and should be examined by specialists outside of Israel. Another article claims the cleaning of the James Ossuary before it was examined may have caused the problem with the patina. The Royal Ontario Museum, commonly known as the ROM (rhyming with Tom), is a major museum for world culture and natural history in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. ... The Biblical Archaeology Review (illuminating archaeology and the Bible) is the organ of the non-denominational Bible Archaeology Society which has been combining the excitement of archaeology and the latest in Bible scholarship since 1974 [1]. The Societys founder and editor-in-chief is Hershel Shanks. ...

Oded Golan claimed publicly to believe his findings were genuine. Hershel Shanks declared that he did not believe the evidence and launched a personal complaint against IAA director Shuka Dorfman. Lemaire supported his original assessment when Frank Cross regretted Shank's attitude. Joe Nickell, an investigative columnist for the magazine Skeptical Inquirer, very early on, pointed out several suspicious facts about the ossuary that needed further explanation:[3]

• In particular, a provenance was utterly lacking. (Golan said he cannot remember or no longer identify the dealer from whom he purchased the ossuary.)
• Ossuaries are usually decorated and inscribed on one side only. There are rosettes on this ossuary on the opposite side of the inscription and the rosettes are badly worn with age, whereas the inscription has comparatively sharp edges. Why did Andre Lemaire, the French paleographic expert who collaborated with BAR, originally claim that the ossuary was otherwise completely unadorned?
• Obviously, religious-politico, academic, and economic interests go 'hand in hand' with the truth about this ossuary. Many institutions have much to lose and others to gain from this bizarre discovery and 'Indiana Jones-like' adventure.
• If this 'archaeological' find is to be believed to be the $1,000,000.00 insured ossuary of James' the brother of Jesus Christ, why was it stored in a bathroom, sitting on a toilet in the home of Golan?[4]

The Royal Ontario Museum has this to say as its final words in a statement about Oded Golan's arrest and the validity of the so-called James Ossuary: "There is always a question of authenticity when objects do not come from a controlled archaeological excavation, as is the case with the James Ossuary."[5]

On December 29, 2004, the Israeli justice ministry charged Golan, three other Israelis, and one Palestinian, with running a forgery ring that had been operating for more than 20 years. Golan was indicted in an Israeli court along with his three co-conspirators: Robert Deutsch, an epigraphy expert who has given lectures at Haifa University; collector Shlomo Cohen; and antiquities dealer Faiz al-Amaleh. They were accused of manufacturing numerous artifacts, including an ivory pomegranate which had previously been generally accepted as the only proven relic from the Temple of King Solomon. Golan denied the charges. December 29 is the 363rd day of the year (364th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 2 days remaining. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The University of Haifa (אוניברסיטת חיפה) is a university in Haifa, Israel. ... King Solomon Latin name (Hebrew: שְׁלֹמֹה, (Shlomo) Standard Tibe88rian ; Arabic: سليمان, Sulayman; all essentially meaning peace) is a figure described in Middle Eastern scriptures as a wise ruler of an empire centred on the united Kingdom of Israel. ...

On February 26, 2007 a news conference was held at the New York Public Library by director James Cameron and Simcha Jacobovici to discuss their documentary entitled The Lost Tomb of Jesus, which discusses the 1980 finding of the Talpiot Tomb which they claim is in fact the Jesus family tomb. In the film, they also assert that the so-called James ossuary is actually the "missing link" from the tomb. According to the film, "recent tests conducted at the CSI Suffolk Crime lab in New York demonstrate that the patina (a chemical film encrustation on the box) from the James ossuary matches the patina from the other ossuaries in the Talpiot tomb." February 26 is the 57th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the Anno Domini (common) era. ... For other persons named James Cameron, see James Cameron (disambiguation). ... Simcha Jacobovici. ... The Lost Tomb of Jesus is a documentary first broadcast on the Discovery Channel on March 4, 2007 covering the discovery of the Talpiot Tomb. ... An image of the Talpiot Tomb The Talpiot Tomb is a tomb discovered in the Talpiot neighbourhood of Jerusalem, Israel, in 1980. ...

'The Lost Tomb of Jesus - A Critical Look'

Following the 2007/03/04 airing of The Lost Tomb of Jesus on the Discovery Channel, Ted Koppel aired a program entitled 'The Lost Tomb of Jesus - A Critical Look', whose guests included the director Simcha Jacobovici, James Tabor (a consultant and advisor on the docudrama), Johnathan Reed, Professor of Religion at the University of LaVerne and co-author of 'Excavating Jesus Beneath the Stones, Behind the Text', and William Dever, an archaeologist with 40 plus years experience in Middle Eastern archaeological digs. The Lost Tomb of Jesus is a documentary first broadcast on the Discovery Channel on March 4, 2007 covering the discovery of the Talpiot Tomb. ...

The Washington Post in an article of 2007/02/28 cites Dever as being "widely considered the dean of biblical archaeology among U.S. scholars" and quotes him as saying, "I just think it's a shame the way this story is being hyped and manipulated" and "all of the names [contained in the tomb] are common".

Alan Cooperman, writer of the Washington Post article also states this: "Similar assessments came yesterday from two Israeli scholars, Amos Kloner, who originally excavated the tomb, and Joe Zias, former curator of archaeology at the Israeli Antiquities Authority. Kloner told the Jerusalem Post that the documentary is "nonsense." Zias described it in an e-mail to The Washington Post as a "hyped up film which is intellectually and scientifically dishonest.""

During the docudrama The Lost Tomb of Jesus, Simcha Jacobovici had claimed: The Lost Tomb of Jesus is a documentary first broadcast on the Discovery Channel on March 4, 2007 covering the discovery of the Talpiot Tomb. ...

1.) concerning the ossuaries marked Yeshua` (i.e. Jesus) and the one believed to be that of Mary Magdalene: because "the DNA did not match, the forensic archaeologist concluded that they must be husband and wife";

2.) that testing showed that there was a match between the patina on the James and Yeshua` ossuaries and referred to it as the "missing link" from the tomb of Yeshua` (Jesus);

3.) and that an ossuary that became missing from the tomb of Yeshua` had actually been the infamous James ossuary believed to contain the remains of the brother of Yeshua`.

During Ted Koppel's critique, 'The Lost Tomb of Jesus - A Critical Look', Koppel revealed he had denials from these three people Simcha Jacobovici had misquoted in the documentary.

1.) Koppel had a written denial from the forensic archaeologist asserting that he had NOT concluded that the remains of Yeshua` and Miriamne showed they were husband and wife. In fact, he had logically stated, "you cannot genetically test for marriage".

2.) Koppel had a written denial from the Suffolk Crime Lab Director asserting that he had NOT stated the James ossuary patina matched that of the Yeshua` ossuary. He denied ever saying they were a match, and said he'd have to do much more comparison testing of other tombs before he could draw any conclusions.

3.) Koppel had a verbal denial from Professor Amos Kloner, the archaeologist who had supervised the initial 1980 dig of the tomb of Yeshua`, with whom he spoke on 2007/03/04, asserting that the ossuary that later turned up missing from the alleged Tomb of 'Jesus' could not have been what is now known as the James ossuary. In fact he indicated there was evidence that it was not the same by saying that the now missing ossuary he had seen and photographed and catalogued in 1980 had been totally unmarked, whereas the James ossuary is marked with the name of James and a rosette.

The archaeologist William Dever summed up his position when he stated on Koppel's critical analysis, 'The Lost Tomb of Jesus - A Critical Look', that Jacobovici's and Cameron's "conclusions were already drawn in the beginning" of the inquiry and that their "argument goes far beyond any reasonable interpretation".

See also

• Biblical archaeology
• Archaeological forgery
• Nebra skydisk

Biblical archaeology involves the recovery and scientific investigation of the material remains of past cultures that can illuminate the periods and descriptions in the Bible. ... Archaeological forgery is a manufacture of supposedly ancient items that are sold to the antiquities market and may even end up in the collections of museums. ... The Nebra sky disk The Nebra sky disk is a bronze disk of around 30cm diameter, patinated blue-green and inlaid with gold symbols. ...

References

• Neil Asher Silberman and Yuval Goren, "Faking Biblical History", Archeology magazine, September/October 2003
• Dr Jeffrey Chadwick, "Indications that the 'brother of Jesus' inscription is a forgery"
• Jonathon Gatehouse, "Cashbox", 'Maclean's' magazine, March 2005
• "James Ossuary" from the Official Site for Lost Tomb of Jesus

External links

• Israel antiquities forgers charged (BBC)
• Museum deems sole First Temple relic a fake (Jerusalem Post)
• Resources on Biblical Archaeology
• Descriptions and pictures from the Royal Ontario Museum, including arguments for its authenticity.
• The So-Called ‘Jehoash Inscription’: Photo, Transcription and Bibliography
• Is Oded Golan behind biblical scholarship's biggest fraud ring? Daily Telegraph magazine, May 2005.
• King Solomon's Tablet of Stone Summary and transcript of BBC Horizon tv science documentary (2004).

Official Site for the film, The Lost Tomb of Jesus Horizon is a long-running BBC popular science and history documentary programme, notable for coining the term supervolcano. ...