By Jacques Neguer
Head of Art Restoration
Israel Antiquities Authority
1. The ossuary itself is authentic.
2. The ossuary
inscription is forged, for a number of reasons:
·
All scratches and incisions are
coated with the original patina, and only the inscription is coated with a
simulated patina-like material of round crystalline grains. This material is
located only on the inscribed side of the box.
·
The incised inscription cuts
through the original patina.
·
The inscription was apparently
written by two different people and instruments (see the letter bet in
the words
יעקוב בן.
It is recommended to
link all the investigation data to the photograph in the data base in order to
have an overall picture.
*For the meantime, I
have no opinion on the Yehoash inscription.
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