Roger Pearse

Few people seem to be aware that the codex containing the ps.Gospel of Judas came with a second codex containing further texts:

- the 'Book of Exodus' in Greek
- 'Letters of Paul' in Sahidic dialect and a
- 'Mathematical Treatise' in Greek.

Yesterday I wrote to art dealer Michel van Rijn, who has been recording the dodgy dealings around this find, asking if he knew how to contact Bruce Ferrini, the last known owner of these texts. Michel kindly replied, and allowed me to reproduce this interesting (but appalling) comment:

"Thanks your email. Ferrini is keeping himself unreachable... Yes Ferrini sold pages of the Judas, Exodus and mathematical treatise.

"Pages of the Exodus were sold to James E. Ferrell and are now part of the Ink and Blood traveling exhibition... The mathematical treatise was sold by Ferrini together with Samm Fogg, London, to Lord Thomson of Fleet, Canada.

"And Getty sponsor, Lloyd Cotsen, bought several pages. Judas?"

None of this is good news. I imagine that the codex has been reduced to a pile of fragments, of which saleable leaves are being sold, and the remainder, no doubt, thrown away. Can nothing be done to stop this destruction?

Roger Pearse

Chris Weimer

A most unfortunate tragedy, Roger! Perhaps if we're lucky, it may all turn up preserved, even if torn apart. Let's hope that none of it actually gets destroyed.

Roger Pearse

Here's a fragment of something, supposedly in Coptic, being sold by Ferrini now. Can anyone work out what it's saying?

link.

All the best,

Roger Pearse

Chris Weimer

Not sure. It appears to be:

N
ANE
$I
N

I'm not sure about the last letter - it's an unfamiliar form.

Chris Weimer

I made a comment about it on my blog. I'm not sure what exactly it will do, but damn, this sucks.