spin

No, "fabrication" in the sense of something that was constructed from scratch. Exaggeration implies something that was there to be exaggerated. Some of the materials I think were fabricated in a general sense. I don't want to pass any value judgment on them. I'll leave cries of fake and fraud to others.


spin

spin

What model of "school" writing do you have in mind? Who do you think wrote and who paid for it? How was the skill of writing maintained if not through a school in which years were spent in learning the trade? Who paid for the school?


spin

Chris Weimer

You got me spin. Honestly, I think it's possible, but not probable. I could make a stretch supporting it, but then again, it would be a stretch nonetheless. However, just because we do not know, doesn't necessarily mean it didn't happen. I'll leave the rest for the experts to decide. :/

CJD

You're being coy. Stop it. I think we both know exactly what we're saying when we're saying it. (My tone is light, and I am smirking.)

spin

You are just being simplistic. Traditions can develop in quite obscure ways, through errors and conflicts and confusions and reduplications. You don't need "real" data from the past. It can be fabricated by various means.

ETA:...including creative writing.


spin

spin

I just had a thought, Chris Weimer -- yes, it does happen on the odd occasion.

If there was a scribal school and the Babylonians lopped off the top of the social spectrum to give a holiday to "by the rivers of..", if there were scribes among those who were left, they could have passed on scribal traditions, despite the fact that being a scribe normally requires wealthy support (as a scribe is not a producer of anything in a poor society, yet spends all his time in scribal activity). This needed to be carried on for more than a few generations -- or at least be in charge of preserving a cache of documents (and unused scrolls would survive much longer than used ones.)


spin

Anat

OK, the Babylonians are approaching Jerusalem. Things don't look too good. A scribe sends a student or a relative on an important mission - "Hide these in the cave in such and such village, where it is safe." No need for the villagers to be literate, only to recognise that the material is sacred, as well as a tradition among the exiled scribes about the agreed upon place. How much material could be preserved in such manner?

Chris Weimer

Please, call me Chris.

Like I said, its a stretch. :huh:

Chris Weimer

Probably much, I reckon. Unless the unfortunate circumstances of the particular village actually being totally annihilated... Hrm, any hopes on another Dead Sea cache dating to 600 BCE? Nah.