Egoinos

Perhaps I've spent too much time at university, but the idea of derailing academic inquiry like that...ugh

Then again, the lack of response from scholars may be simply because they do tend to take an age to come to conclusions about things. That, and worrying that if they make a statement now, they could get it wrong or be later disproven and so harm their reputations, I suppose.

I'm also not sure exactly how well-known the existence of this box is. When in class, my lecturer asked all those of us (out of twenty) to raise our hands if we had heard of the James ossuary, there were only two people (including me) who did so, and this is in a divinity faculty. We have heard of it, and apologetics-minded Christians have heard of it, but how far this is causing debate outside those two circles is fairly hard to guess - scholars may be waiting to state their conclusions based on the impression that there really is no rush.

Just a thought
Egoinos

godfry n. glad

I work at a medical/science university in the western U.S., and most of my coworkers are at least familiar with the ossuary, but not particularly interested. My impression of the average American on the street is that they've heard about it (Thanks to the _Time_ magazine cover article), but that's about the extent of it. I've often wondered if this whole flap is concentrated on the North American public and it's a non-existent issue beyond that. From your description of the denizens of divinity classes in Edinburgh (right?), it sounds as though that might be the case.

One other reason that we might not be hearing much out of Toronto is that one of the organizations, ASOR (I think that's American Society of Oriental Research) have a standing policy _not_ to discuss the artifacts that come to light as a result of illicit or questionable dealings that have separated them from their in situ location without the presence of, and cataloging by, an appropriate archeological authority. Basically, it's an attempt to remove the incentives for antiquities pilferers to rob tombs.

So... On top of all their other sins, Shanks and Lemaire are indirectly encouraging tomb-robbing. Given the two million smackers that Gollum insured the Jake/Joe/Josh box for, I wouldn't be surprised that they're not only encouraging tomb-robbers, they've probably set in motion a whole lotta antiquities manufacturing, too. They have created economic incentives for nefarious activities that, in the long run, will be deleterious for the field and for the extension of human knowledge.

To reinforce Vork's point, evidently Shanks got up on the bully pulpit at the SBL panel discussion and ranted for some time, including belittling Meyers of the ASOR for their enlightened policy and rationalizing the little media circus he'd created to the assembled masses.
It was like he was trying to whip up the masses with invective to attack doubters once they'd all left the immediate vicinity of the holy relic.

<sigh> Isn't it about time somebody took Shanks' mantle and mortarboard away from him? The man is a menace to rational inquiry.

godfry n. glad

[ December 06, 2002: Message edited by: godfry n. glad ]

[ December 06, 2002: Message edited by: godfry n. glad ]</p>

Toto

Mortarboard?

Shanks was trained as a lawyer, and archeology is his hobby. He started BAR and runs it as a business (freedom of the press belonging to him who owns the press and all that.)

from <a href="http://www.smith.edu/newsoffice/Releases/shanks.html" target="_blank">a web search</a> - Shanks doesn't seem to list his bio on BAR's site unless I missed it.

also

Toto

What synchronicity! A reference to this rather harsh article deconstructing Shanks just arrived in my mailbox:

<a href="http://www.askwhy.co.uk/truth/520Shanks.html#Hershel%20Shanks" target="_blank">God's Truth - Pious Lies</a>

Vorkosigan

Great links, Toto.

godfry n. glad

Agreed. Great links, Toto.

I stand corrected about Shanks being a scholar. It seems instead he is a misdirected solicitor. Well, those legal-beagle types also get mortarboards and mantles upon completion of their scholastic careers. But, it's a little known fact (according to Cliffy, at least) that instead of the usual symbolic trowel that most scholars are given and then told to build a bright new future, legal graduates are given symbolic forks to go with their mortarboards, and thus they have become known to all as..... you guessed it.... mortar-forkers.

&lt;ducks the brickbats and old shoes thrown by all the attendant legal typies present, as well as those with refined senses of humor&gt;

Shanks fits the profile.


godfry n. glad

Sauron

I just noticed that Layman has returned to the BC&A forum, to try and defend Robert Turkel.

I wonder if he will be putting in an appearance here, to clarify his position on the ossuary, in light of the mounting problems with its authenticity.

Evangelion

I'm perfectly happy with Carrier's analysis. It's cogent, well-written, and exquisitely objective.

Toto

Carrier's analysis unfortunately just takes the BAR article at face value, and speculates on what conclusions could be drawn from it. He doesn't appear to have read Rochelle Altman's report or other later reports indicating the probabilities of tampering.

I will be interested to see what the results are when the ossuary is returned to Israel and subjected to more probing examination.

Layman

I did not "try and defend" Turkel. I complained about the posting of his home address, home phone number, and his family information (wife's name and place of employment).

The only recent development I see referenced here is the "study" by an aircraft engineer who does some archeological work, but in the field of metallurgy. At this point, I'm much more willing to side with the Isreali Geological Survey. And I look forward to the Israeli Antiquities Society's tests. I hope those go forward. All in all, I'm sure we can expect some books and articles on by experts next year.