This space is reserved for pictures of the Cardo revealing the full breadth and magnificence of the thoroughfare. We will print these pictures promptly after their release by Professor Avigad. This will occur after he has first published them in his own scientific report. We hope by that time we will also be able to print pictures of the Babylonian arrowheads—the remains of the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem—which Professor Avigad found in 1975 and the Greek inscription mentioning Justinian which he found more recently. Although Professor Avigad announces these finds in the press, he refuses to release pictures. Professor Avigad is by no means alone in this practice. Probably the majority of archaeologists do likewise, but Professor Avigad’s restrictive release of photographs is more visible—and more objectionable—because of the spectacular nature of the finds. If the beautiful mosaic pictured in
“Report from Jerusalem,” in this issue, were found in Professor Avigad’s excavation (rather than in an excavation a few hundred feet away),
BAR readers would probably be unable to see it for many years. We urge the abandonment of this restrictive release of photographs, particularly with respect to finds that legitimately arouse such widespread public interest.