Hershel’s Crusade, No. 3: Forgeries and Unprovenanced Artifacts

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Scholars have debated what to do with forgeries and unprovenanced artifacts. Many believe they should not be published or considered reliable historical evidence. However, some, Hershel Shanks included, believe they should be treated as valuable pieces of the archaeological puzzle. Paleographer Ada Yardeni highlights a few significant cases.

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Footnotes

1.
Hershel Shanks, Freeing the Dead Sea Scrolls (London: Continuum, 2010), p. 41.

2. See Hershel Shanks, “Predilections—Is the ‘Brother of Jesus’ Inscription a Forgery?” BAR 41:05; Hershel Shanks, First Person: “‘Brother of Jesus’ Inscription—Authentic or a Forgery?”BAR 42:04.

3. See Hershel Shanks, “Fudging with Forgeries,” BAR 37:06; Hershel Shanks, First Person: “Gold from the Temple?” BAR 40:04.

4. André Lemaire, “Burial Box of James the Brother of Jesus,” BAR 28:06.

5. See Hershel Shanks, “Ivory Pomegranate: Under the Microscope at the Israel Museum,” BAR 42:02; Hershel Shanks, First Person: “A Scepter from the Temple?” BAR 42:03.