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German-based scholars tested the fragments and found that five "show characteristics inconsistent with ancient origin and therefore will no longer be displayed at the museum."
"Though we had hoped the testing would render different results, this is an opportunity to educate the public on the importance of verifying the authenticity of rare biblical artifacts, the elaborate testing process undertaken and our commitment to transparency," said Jeffrey Kloha, the chief curatorial officer for Museum of the Bible.
Why am I not in the least surprised about this? It's nice to see their commitment with respect to transparency.
Why am I not in the least surprised about this? It's nice to see their commitment with respect to transparency.
Ouch. I have seen a few Biblical fakes (some still being argued about, like the James sarcophagus) as well as misunderstandings (like the Calf altar), but I ought have expected that some people would try to fake scroll fragments.
It's surprising as the provenance ought to have flagged a few up as 'not indupitably genuine'. Any links? Oh yes - of course.
...
Well these aren't the genuine Qumran -found. The provenance was the antiquities market where ninety percent of the fragments are fake. The doubts were there from the start, and all the fragments are no longer on display. As you say - good on them for not saying 'Well, that is only the opinion of fallible humans. We believe that God would not have allowed us to waste $5 million on Fakes..."
This isn't the first embarrassment. One of my favourite British museum exhibits was the Aztec crystal skull. I always went to look at it. Looked great. It still does - wherever it is. Because it and a few others by the same producer were examined microscopically and declared fake.
Last edited by TRANSPONDER; 10-22-2018 at 02:27 PM..
Ouch. I have seen a few Biblical fakes (some still being argued about, like the James sarcophagus) as well as misunderstandings (like the Calf altar), but I ought have expected that some people would try to fake scroll fragments.
It's surprising as the provenance ought to have flagged a few up as 'not indupitably genuine'. Any links? Oh yes - of course.
...
Well these aren't the genuine Qumran -found. The provenance was the antiquities market where ninety percent of the fragments are fake. The doubts were there from the start, and all the fragments are no longer on display. As you say - good on them for not saying 'Well, that is only the opinion of fallible humans. We believe that God would not have allowed us to waste $5 million on Fakes..."
This isn't the first embarrassment. One of my favourite British museum exhibits was the Aztec crystal skull. I always went to look at it. Looked great. It still does - wherever it is. Because it and a few others by the same producer were examined microscopically and declared fake.
Is this where they got the idea for that last Indiana Jones movie?...
Fraudsters peddling fakes to the gullible religious? I'm shocked, too
I wonder if it were fraudsters who created them for profit or church hierarchy that created them for profit...You know, to keep the gullible in the pews...On a side note, if I remember correctly, reading the list of those who translated the DSS, I didn’t notice any Judaic Hebrew scholars on that list...
Fraudsters peddling fakes to the gullible religious? I'm shocked, too
Sadly it's often a combo of these. The religious sometimes believe that even fakes help them or that revealing their own ugliness will not help them, so keep secrets. And fraudsters know that the religious are desperate for confirmation and "holiness" and will not question as hard as others might.
I wonder if it were fraudsters who created them for profit or church hierarchy that created them for profit...You know, to keep the gullible in the pews...On a side note, if I remember correctly, reading the list of those who translated the DSS, I didn’t notice any Judaic Hebrew scholars on that list...
I wonder if it were fraudsters who created them for profit or church hierarchy that created them for profit...You know, to keep the gullible in the pews...On a side note, if I remember correctly, reading the list of those who translated the DSS, I didn’t notice any Judaic Hebrew scholars on that list...
First, not all the texts were in Hebrew. At least 6 are qualified to read most of the scrolls, with one able to read the 3% that are in Greek.
But here are some of the people from my reference with their expertise listed where I could find it.
E L Sudenik - Professor of Jewish archaeology at the Hebrew university.
Mar Athanius
P Benoit - Koine Greek
American School for oriental studies, Jerusalem:
- M Burrows
- W H Brownlee
- J C Trever
D Barthelemy
J T Milik (published initial reports in Hebrew), fluent in Russian, Italian, French, German, and English besides his native Polish, plus many ancient and dead languages including Hebrew, Greek, Latin, Aramaic, Syriac, old church Slavonic, Arabic, Georgian, Ugaritic, Akkadian, Sumerian, Egyptian, and Hittite.
G Vermes - translated at least one scroll.
J Starcky
P Skehan
F M Cross
J M Allegro - studied Hebrew dialects
J Strugnell
C H Hunziger
M Baillet
J A Sanders - translated the Psalms scroll
E Tov - Professor of biblical studies at the Hebrew university. Jewish.
E Qimron - specialized in ancient Hebrew.
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I have seen a few Biblical fakes (some still being argued about, like the James sarcophagus) as well as misunderstandings (like the Calf altar), but I ought have expected that some people would try to fake scroll fragments. 
