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Preliminary Discussion Concerning The So-Called Ossuary Of Jacob From A Tel Aviv Collection |
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January - February 2003 [1] G. Govier, James’ Ossuary Surfaces in Jerusalem, “Artifax” 17,4 (Autumn 2002), pp. 1-3. H. S h a n k s notes with great pride that ‘the news about our exclusive cover story [of the “Biblical Archaeology Review”] ... about the bone box ... has reverberated around the globe’ [Cf. his Cracks in James Bone Box Repaired, “Biblical Archaeology Review” 29,1 (Jan./Feb.. 2003), p. 21]. The discovery was announced by ABC, NBC, PBS, CNN and many other TV stations. (As far as I remember, also the Polish TV noticed the event in the main news of the day). The object was featured on the front page of the “New York Times”. Articles on the ossuary of Jacob have appeared in the “Washington Post” and “The International Herald Tribune”. Some lengthy stories were published in “Time”, “Newsweek” and “USS and World Report”, not to mention the rest of the world. Some articles in Polish are listed in footnotes below. [2] Cf. especially H. H. Rowley, The Zadokite Documents and the Dead Sea Scrolls, Blackwell, Oxford 1952, pp. 31-61. [3] Cf. Z. J. Kapera, Kilka uwag w kwestii autentyczności tzw. ‘ossuarium Jakuba’ z kolekcji w Tel Awiwie [A Few Remarks Concerning the Authenticity of the So-called ‘Jacob’s ossuary’ from a Collection in Tel Aviv], “Studia Judaica” [Cracow] 5,2 (No. 10) (2002) (in press). [4] Cf. A. Lemaire, Burial Box of James the Brother of Jesus. Earliest Archaeological Evidence of Jesus found in Jerusalem, “Biblical Archaeology Review” [=BAR] 28,6 (Nov. - Dec. 2002), pp. 24-33 and 70. [5] All data concerning the object come from the article of A. Lemaire, as above. As we start reading about this specific ossuary we should keep in mind all the time that this ossuary is nothing special as the archaeology of the Holy Land in the first century A.D. goes. As P. Figueras wrote some time ago, ‘Hundreds, if not thousands, of stone ossuaries have been discovered in the Jewish tombs around Jerusalem, sold to foreign collectors, used as decorative objects in the gardens of monasteries and schools, displayed in the museums and private collections, and stored in impressive numbers of underground rooms of the Rockefeller Museum in Jerusalem’ (cf. Jewish Ossuaries and Secondary Burial: Their Significance for Christianity, “Immanuel” No. 19 (Winter 1984/85), p. 45). [6] Cf. A. Lemaire, op. cit., p. 27. [7] Cf. M. Posner, Inspection of Ossuary Produces More Clues, article from “The Globe and Mail” [Toronto] of a date unknown to me [mid(?) of November 2002]. [8] Cf. interviews of A. Krzemi ń s k a with E. Paradowska-Dziadowiec from the stone conservation laboratory of the Royal Ontario Museum, entitled ‘Pękniety skarb’ [The Broken Treasure], “Polityka” [Warsaw] 10.11.2002, p. 91 and more recently ‘Ossuarium Jakuba w kawałkach [Jacob Ossuary in Pieces], “Archaeologia Żywa” No, 4 (23) (2002) [pub. late March 2003!], p. 35. [9] The letter concerning geological expertise appeared in the pages of Lemaire’s article in BAR, p. 29. [10] Lemaire, op. cit., p. 28. [11] Cf. her drawing reproduced in Lemaire’s article, pp. 26-27. [12] Cf. L. Y. Rahmani, A Catalogue of Jewish Ossuaries in the Collections of the State of Israel, The Israel Antiquities Authority, Jerusalem 1994, p. 5 and fig. 2. [14] Cf. Antiquities XX, 9, 1. For good review of the discussion around this passage of Josephus Flavius up to the 1960s, cf. E. D ą b r o w s k i, Śmierć Jakuba Apostoła w opisie Józefa Flawiusza [The Death of Jacob the Apostle in the Description of Josephus Flavius], an appendix in: Józef Flawiusz, Dawne Dzieje Izraela ‘Antiquitates Judaicae’. The first Polish translation from the Greek [by Z. Kubiak and J. Radożycki] edited by E. Dąbrowski, Księgarnia św. Wojciecha, Poznań 1962, 963-968. [14] Concerning secondary burials in the Jewish society at the turn of the era, cf. P. F i g u e r a s, Jewish Ossuaries ..., pp. 41-57; C. C o h e n - M a t l o f s k y, Controverses sur les coutumes funéraires des Juifs en Palestine aux deux premiers siecles de l’Empire romain, “L’Information Historique” 53 (1991), pp. 21-26 [15] Cf. S. Leibovich - Dar, Bones of Contention, “Ha’aretz” November 8, 2002. [16] Cf. S. F[eldman], The Right Man for the Inscription, BAR 28,6 (Nov.-Dec. 2002), p. 30. [17] Cf. H. S[hanks], The Ultimate Test of Authenticity, BAR 28,6 (Nov.-Dec. 2002), p. 33. [18] Cf. G. Govier, op. cit., p. 3. [19] Cf. S. Leibovich - Dar, op. cit. [20] Almost every volume of the ‘Discoveries in the Judean Desert’ series published in the last decade contains a chapter on paleography written by her. Besides she recently published an important handbook on Jewish paleography. Cf. A. Yardeni, The Book of Hebrew Script, Carta, Jerusalem 1997. [21] There is at least a hint of that in a published interview with Prof. E.-M. L a p e r r o u s a z. Cf. P.-A. B o u c l a y, Une “découverte” qui date de vingt ans!, “Histoire du Christianisme Magazine” 2002, No. 13, pp. 6-7. [22] A. Lemaire, op. cit., p. 28. [23] A. Lemaire, l. cit. [24] A. Lemaire, op. cit., p. 31. [25] He quotes here (note 16) publications of L. Y. Rahmani, op. cit., p. 27 and S. Mimouni, Le judéo-christianisme ancien, Cerf, Paris 1998, pp. 409-428, esp. 412, 417 and 428. [26] Cf. M. Broshi, Estimating the Population of Ancient Jerusalem, “Biblical Archaeology Review” July-Aug. 1978, pp. 10-15, esp. 12 and 14 (as quoted by A. Lemaire on p. 33). [27] Lemaire, op. cit., p. 33. [28] Lemaire, l. cit.; the capitals are mine Z.J.K. Prof. Lemaire maintained his position in an interview ‘Il n’y a aucun argument sérieus contre l’authenticité’ published in “Sciences et Avenir” December 2002, p. 12 and in an interview of D. D ł u g o s z: “Jakub, syn Józefa, brat Józefa” [“Jacob, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus”] published in “Archaeologia Żywa” No. 4 (23) (2002) [in fact late March 2003!], p. 34. [29] The most detailed report known to me on the scholarly dispute was announced in the internet by Prof. Paul Flesher. As far as I know, Dr J. Zangenberg has prepared a report for the “Welt und Umwelt der Bibel” 2003. As I was not present at the annual convention of the Society of Biblical Literature in Toronto, he also supplied me with some private remarks concerning the events. Prof. E. Schuller was so kind as to send me some cuttings from the Canadian press. A lot of press reports are collected in the files of www.bibleinterp.com/articles/... [30] P. Adams, M. Posner, A Trip to Hell and Back Lifts the Murky Lid on ‘Jesus Box’, article from “The Globe and Mail” of a date unknown to me [beginning(?) of November 2002]. [31] Cf. BBC News, Middle East, ‘Evidence of Jesus damaged’, 3 Nov. 2002. See also in H. Shanks, Cracks ..., pp. 20-25. [32] M. Posner, Inspection of Ossuary Produces More Clues, “The Globe and Mail” Nov. 15, 2002, p. A7. [33] Cf. an anonymous article Ossuary’s Owner to Speak in Toronto from “The Star” of a date unknown to me [beginning(?) of Nov. 2002]. [34] B. Harvey in “Ottawa Citizen” Nov. 25, 2002. [35] “The Star”, as above note 33. [36] In this context it is useful to add a personal comment by a New Testament scholar who participated in the events: ‘... the public interest was phenomenal. Long lines of people in front of the museum, the object has been almost become a pilgrim site. And of course there is big money involved, too ...’ (the quote from a private letter dated Nov. 27, 2002). [37] L. Scrivener, How ‘Ugliest’ Box Hit the Limelight, “The Star” Nov. 8, 2002. [38] However, A. Lemaire had been shown of a photograph of the ossuary, before the original was supplied to him. Cf. P. F l e s h e r, The Experts and the Ossuary, p. 2. This article is not yet available in print. [39] Cf. P. Flesher’s internet article, as above. [40] B. Harvey, op. cit., p. 2 [41] B. Harvey, as above. [42] Cf. P. Flesher, The Experts ..., p. 4 and M. Posner, Experts Disagree About Authenticity of Ossuary, “The Globe and Mail” Nov. 25, 2002, p. A6 respectively. [43] P. Flesher, The Experts ..., pp. 2 and 3. [44] As reported in a private letter to the undersigned of Nov. 25, 2002. [45] P. Flesher, The Experts.., p. 7. [46] Cf. P. Flesher’s internet article: Observing the Ossuary, p. 1 [47] Cf. P. Flesher, The Experts ..., p. 3. [48] I have already noticed this in my Polish article Kilka uwag ... (cf. note 3 above). Cf. also my second article in Polish: Problem datowania i interpretacji tzw. ossuarium Jakuba syna Józefa, brata Jezusa [Problem of Dating and Interpretation of the so-called Ossuary of Jacob Son of Joseph, Brother of Jesus], “Ruch Biblijny i Liturgiczny” 56 (2003) [in press]. [49] P. Flesher, The Experts ..., p. 3. [50] With the ossuary, we are in a situation where finding the location of a possible tomb of this particular Jacob is out of the question. The owner does not even remember the exact supplier (one of the four shops with antiquities in the Old Jerusalem), or where the area of the find is (‘probably from Silwan’), etc. According to some press reports, the people of Silwan have been discussing the find, but so far nobody has offered a suggestion, let alone a convincing argument regarding its location, so the break between the ossuary and its archaeological context seems to me (like to Prof. Meyers) irretrievably lost. Prof. Mayers’s irritation is justifiable. [51] Cf. P. Flesher, The Experts ..., p. 5. [52] This information has been kindly supplied to me by Dr D. Długosz of the Louvre. The “Compte-Rendus des Académie des Inscriptions et Belles Lettres” are published four times a year. So we can expect the first issue, with the French text of Prof. A. Lemaire, in late Spring or Summer 2003. [53] All quotes from S. Laurant and J.-L. Pouthier, Un inscription controversée, “Le Monde de la Bible” No. 149, March 2003, p. 64. [54] A quote from his letter in the internet. Cf. ANE net of about Nov. 10, 2002. [55] Cf. É. Puech, L’ossuaire de Jacques, le frere de Jésus?, “Kephas” Jan./March 2003, pp. 41-46. His second text on the ossuary of James will appear soon in “Le Monde de la Bible” 2003. A revised version has been translated into Polish by M. Wróbel and will appear in issue No. 1/2003 of the “Verbum Vitae”, under the title Czy znaleziono ossuarium Jakuba, brata Jezusa? [Have They Found the Ossuary of James, Brother of Jesus?]. An updated version of the article has been promised for the “Polish Journal of Biblical Research”. [Cf. the article A propos de l’ossuaire de Jacques, le frere de Jésus in the issue No. 3 dated Dec. 2002]. The views of Father Puech quoted here are retranslated from the Polish version in the “Verbum Vitae”. I should like to thank the editors of the biannual, Rev. Prof. H. Witczyk and Dr. M. Wróbel for kind supply of the translation before print and for generous permission to quote it in my review. I am also very much obliged to Father P. Auffret for noticing me the article by É. Puech from the French journal “Kephas”. [56] Cf. H. Shanks, Cracks ..., p. 25. [57] R. I. Altman, Official Report on the James Ossuary, available only in internet. [58] R. I. Altman, Final Report on the James Ossuary, cf. “Israelinsider” Nov. 6, 2002. A printed version in Polish will appear in Spring 2003 in a volume of collected essays on the ossuary edited by the undersigned. [59] R. I. Altman, Final Report..., [p. 9]. [60] J. Lupiain R. I. Altman, Final Report ..., [p. 10]. The problem of the false patina was also discussed again in the French journal ‘Science et Avenir’ in a dossier ‘Jésus, faux frere?’ (non vidi) quoted in the article of “Le Monde de la Bible” (cf. S. L a u r a n t and J.-L. P o u t h i e r, Un inscription ..., p. 64). According to J. Lupia’s digital analysis of the photographs of the ossuary, the patina in and around the inscription ‘will betray its modernity’. Concerning the physical description of the object, cf. an interview [Ossuarium Jakuba ..., note 8 above] with Mrs. E. Paradowska-Dziadowiec, who made repairs of the ossuary in Toronto. [61] H. S[hanks], The Ultimate Test of Authenticity, in the article of A. L e m a i r e, op. cit., p. 33. [62] Prof. P. Flesher is currently serving as President of the International Organization for Targumic Studies. He helped to found the journal “Aramaic Studies”. [63] In F. Garcia Martinez’s translation: ‘... and they captured Lot, the son of the brother of Abram’ [The Dead Sea Scrolls Study Edition, Vol. 1, Brill, Leiden 1997, p. 47]. [64] Cf. J. A. Fitzmyer, The Genesis Apocryphon of Qumran Cave I. A Commentary, Biblical Institute Press, Rome 1971, p. 167. [65] All quotes from P. Flesher, Does the James’ Ossuary really Refer to Jesus Christ? [66] Cf. M. Wróbel, Jakub, syn Józefa, brat Jezusa [Jacob Son of Joseph Brother of Jesus] (in press). [67] F. Garcia Martinez quoted in S. Laurant and J.-L. Pouthier, Une inscription ..., p. 64. [68] E. Puech, Have they found ossuary... (cf. above note 53). [69] M. Wróbel, as above. [70] Cf. R. Eisenman, The James Ossuary - Is It Authentic?, “Folia Orientalia” 38 (2002), pp. 233-236; here pp. 235 and 236 respectively. [71] L. Y. Rahmani, op. cit. [72] M. Broshi, l. cit. (see above note 26). [73] A. Lemaire, op. cit., p. 33 [74] Conclusions of Mr. Fuks as reported in the Canadian press, cf. M. Posner, Experts ..., p. A6. [75] For example J. J e r e m i a s, Jerusalem in the Time of Jesus, Fortress Press, Philadelphia 1975 (= 1969), p. 83, note 24 accepts ‘a figure for the population of ancient Jerusalem of about 55,000 to 95,000.’ [76] T. I l a n, Lexicon of Jewish Names in Late Antiquity. Part I. Palestine 330 BCE - 200 CE, Mohr Siebeck, Tübingen 2002, p. 56, table 7. [77] Cf. C. C o h e n - M a t l o f s k y, Was It Jesus’s Brother’s? “The Globe and Mail” Nov. 6, 2002, p. A19 and his dissertation titled Les laics en Palestine d’Auguste a Hadrien: étude prosopographique, H. Champion, Paris 2001. [78] J. Bertoin quoted in S. Laurant and J.-L. Pouthier, Une inscription ..., p. 64. [79] M. - J. L a g r a n g e, Évangile selon Saint Marc, 3rd ed., Paris 1920, p. 84 n. 1. Cf., however, more recently P. W i n t e r, Josephus on Jesus and James Ant. XVIII 3, 3 (63-64) and XX 9, 1 (200-203) [in:] G. Vermes, F. M i l l a r, eds., The History of the Jewish People in the Age of Jesus Christ (175 B.C. - A.D. 135) by E. Schürer. A New English Version..., T. and T. Clark, Edinburgh 1973, pp. 428-441 and esp. pp. 431-432 and E. D ą browski, Śmierć Jakuba... (cf. note 13 above). [80] Cf. P. Figueras, Jewish Ossuaries ..., pp. 42-45. [81] Cf. É. Puech, La croyance des esséniens en la vie future: immortalité, résurrection, vie éternelle?, Gabalda, Paris 1993, vol. 1. [82] Saying this I keep in mind the results of the research on ossuaries by P. F i g u e r a s. Among his conclusions is the following statement: ‘That Jewish-Christians from the Jerusalem area might have practiced secondary burial is natural, but has nothing to do with the origins and extent of such a practice.’ Figueras clearly seems to present a view that it is in fact impossible to establish Jewish and Christian origin of an ossuary. In the specific case of the ossuary of Jacob we deal with a suggestion depending exclusively on the combination of three names known from the New Testament. There is not a hint in the inscription or in the decoration of the ossuary that might suggest its Christian origin. So Figueras is perfectly right in stating that ‘Onomastic correspondence between ossuary inscriptions and the New Testament names may better be understood as purely casual, both group belonging to the same chronological and regional context’(Jewish Ossuaries ..., p. 47). In my opinion the words ‘purely casual’ should be underlined.
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