Friday, January 07, 2005

MORE TESTS NEEDED: Not all scholars are convinced that the James ossuary inscription is forged:
James Ossuary needs further investigation, professor says (Baptist Press News)
Jan 6, 2005
By Jeff Robinson

[...]

But not all experts believe the James Ossuary is fake -- renowned paleographer Andre Lemaire contends that the Aramaic inscription was penned in the first century.

Steven Ortiz, assistant professor of archaeology at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, says that fake items are common among antiques dealers but the James Ossuary needs further scientific analysis before a final verdict is pronounced.

�You have antiquities dealers who sell actual objects and forged objects,� he said. �You have two or three archaeologists who have looked at it and said it is authentic and two who have said it is not. You have [an official] from the Royal Ontario Museum [in Toronto, Canada] who says it is authentic. So what you need to do is to get scientists in a room, and, like any project, you need a scientific report.

[...]

No comments:

Post a Comment