The James Ossuary and the Jehoash Tablet.
Golans ForgeriesIn the past few years, Israeli antiquities dealer, Oded Golan, came under suspicion for forging several of his artifacts. Two of the best known pieces belonging to/created by Golan are the James Ossuary and the Jehoash Tablet. An ossuary is a chest that holds human skeletal remains, a bone box, and was a popular method of burial for Jews during the Roman Period from about First Century BCE to 70 AD. The James Ossuary is noteworthy because of its inscription which reads James, Son of Joseph, Brother of Jesus most likely referring to Jesus of Nazareth. The other antique is the Jehoash Tablet. If authentic, the tablet is significant because it validates the truth of the writings in the Book of Kings by describing repairs made to the temple in Jerusalem by Jehoash, son of King Ahaziah of Judah which corresponded to the account in 2 Kings12. The inscription would also be the first extra biblical mention of an Israelite king of that era (Shanks, 3/2003). While Oded Golan has not been convicted yet, I believe the evidence testifying to forgery is overwhelming.
The James Ossuary came under public speculation when a well known epigrapher, Andre Lemaire accepted the invitation back to Golans place to look at an ossuary. At Golans, Lemaire discovered the James Ossuary, as Golan claimed he did not know what the inscription stated. In Lemaires expert opinion, the inscription appeared authentic, and the Ossuary passed the examination by the Geological Survey of Israel (Cline, 4/25/06). While this might seem like an extraordinary risk for a forger to take, an epigraphers approval increases the value of antiques by consequential amounts.
After Lemaires endorsement, Golans treatment of the James Ossuary is another indication of its lack of authenticity. When shipped over various distances, most archaeologists or antique...
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