Dr. Boaz Zissu, the Martin (Szusz) Department of Land of Israel Studies and Archaeology, Bar-Ilan University, Israel
THE DIFFERENCE WITH MIRIAM. Years after the James Ossuary came to light, the IAA seized another unprovenanced ossuary bearing an inscription along the top edge that reads “Miriam, daughter of Yeshua son of Caiaphas, priest of Ma‘aziah from Beth ’Imri.” In control this time, the IAA arranged for Yuval Goren of Tel Aviv University to examine the Miriam Ossuary. After running a scientific test, Goren authenticated the inscription (without the expertise of a paleographer) and published it in a scholarly journal with archaeologist Boaz Zissu of Bar-Ilan University. Even though the Miriam inscription contains important priestly names, no one has questioned its authenticity—a striking contrast to the James Ossuary inscription.