Haran

(1) It is not true that "everyone realized that the inscription mimicked an extant one". Ada Yardeni, a prominent scholar in semitic writing, did not think so. I think it was a select few who believed this, and I'm not sure they were semitic epigraphers.

(2) The IGS did appropriate tests, people just wanted more in-depth testing. I also note that the IAA does not appear willing to let the ossuary be retested by another group of scientists.

I notice you didn't list the fact that the IAA "writing" comittee decisions about the palaeography were split. At least one, Ronny Reich of the "writing committee", believed the inscription was authentic and only called the inscription a forgery based on the findings of the "materials committee". Dr. Eshel (writing) and Dr. Cohen (materials) both appear to have concluded that the first half of the inscription was forged. Dr. Altman concluded that the first half of the inscription was genuine and the second half was forged. Palaeographical analysis was varied and split among good scholars and was ineffective for indicating forgery in the case of the "James ossuary". So, if Rochelle Altman "knew from the start", then it must have been something else that led her to the conclusion. Why did she not share the other information she was supposedly privy to rather than spending time analysing an inscription that she "knew from the start" was forged?

Haran

Of course I am aware of the "I didn't do it...REALLY..." syndrome, but read Robert Deutch's post to ANE and one has to wonder whether there is a political witch hunt going on. Will significant new information be presented at trial? Should Deutch be connected with the others? Is there really a large conspiracy? Information from the proceedings should prove very interesting. If the allegations are true, I hope for the sake of the IAA that they have conclusive evidence to prove what is alleged.

Steven Carr

According to Lemaire, in 'The Brother of Jesus', the mimicry was what caused Golan to show the ossuary to him in the first place, as Golan realised that it was a very unusual inscription to match one already in the catalogue.

Haran

What you and Vork seem to me to be implying by "mimic" is that the "James ossuary" inscription was copied from the other or "imitated" it.

"Mimic" was not the wording used in the book, "The Brother of Jesus". The exact quote would be:

I would use the word "resembles" rather than "mimic", but I'm not sure that Vork was only saying that everyone knew it resembled the other inscription. If so, then so what? Other parts of the inscription resemble other inscriptions in Rahmani. It seems that he was implying that everyone knew it had been copied or imitated by Golan and/or his alleged forgery ring, but I could be wrong.

It is plausible that Golan had been looking for inscriptions similar to the one on the "James ossuary" in order to understand what he had. Why not look in Rahmani's catalog, since it is definitely one of the places one would turn, especially if he had help before going to Lemaire.

Vorkosigan

I never said that WAS true. What I said was that once that realization became general, the ossuary would likely have come under increasing suspicion.

Also, once Goren started demanding other Golan Specials to test, it was only a matter of time. The Ossuary exists in the context of other fakes -- the Jehoash Tablet, the Temple Pomegranate, the fake Ostraca, etc.

Oh...I don't know. Perhaps there might be repercussions for fingering a multimillion dollar international crime syndicate publicly? You know...personal attacks, web attacks, public accusations and lawsuits and threats of suits and violence....like there actually were? These people aren't playing games, Haran. They were operating a multimillion dollar fraud and forgery ring for many years. People get beaten or even killed when they take on organizations like this, as I know from personal experience. Step by step, she helped engineer a consensus that there was something wrong. She was not, of course, the only one who knew.

I can't believe you're still grousing about this. Leave the dead in peace, or pieces, as the case may be. You got mixed up in the business of an international crime ring, Haran, and got burnt. I know you are angered, but your anger is directed at the wrong people. No one here has ever lied to you, or used you, or dealt with you in bad faith. Many of us like you and admire your learning and passion. The fact is that it is your allies, not your opponents, who have used and betrayed you in this matter. Your anger should be directed at them.

Vorkosigan

Haran

Thanks for the kind words, Vork. And I'm not angry at anyone here if my words come across that way for some reason.

There is, however, no good excuse...none...for the way that Dr. Altman has spoken, and is still speaking, about me. Did you know that in Ian Ransom's book, apparently written with Dr. Altman's help, that there is a section that appears to blame (at least partially) the pictures that are on my website for her confusion about whether the inscription was incised or excised? More rationalizations... My webpage was put up after her first article which mentioned the inscription was excised.

After her initial major blunders, her logic errors (in spite of the fact that she claims to be an expert in logic as well) - see the Turkel thread about the reading that she seemingly attributed to Dr. Yardeni, her unbelievablely cruel overreaction to me and my article, I feel that I personally can no longer trust her or her conclusions on just about anything. And to discover that she is somehow closely involved in the investigation? One should be able to fully understand why I am still highly suspicious and skeptical of the whole thing.

Regardless of what you might say...she's just an old "curmudgeon" (as you've said before)...or whatever, there is no excuse...none...for how she reacted to me and my benign article (not to mention Ian Ransom; neither of whom ever contacted me for the least little bit of information before what seems to me like something close to slander about me in their publications).

Toto

The latest news

edited to add:

Some archaeologists are concerned that last week's indictments leveled against members of a sophisticated antiquities forgery ring will give Israeli archaeology a bad name.

Toto

The pomegranate - Maclean's says we told you so

Duke Leto

Now that I am no longer the contracted Developer for the Biblical Archaeology Society's Online Archive, I can officially wonder if Hershel Shanks is going to keep beating the "Oded Golan was framed" dead horse. What a waste of typeface. Of course it's not like any digging is getting done right now, so it's otherwise rehashes, rethinkings and reexaminations galore.

Toto

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