Tag Archives: Con-Artists

Pseudo-archaeologist James Tabor smears internet blogger for attacking his “Jonah ossuary” rubbish

Posted on 11/04/2012 by

Pseudo-archaeologist James Tabor (who publicly eulogises the late Vendyl “Arkhunter” Jones as his “creator” and “teacher”), and who sees otherwise unexceptional ancient tombs in Jerusalem as potential goldmines to fund his retirement, has now taken to smearing and issuing threats to internet bloggers. … Continue reading →

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Pseudo-archaeologist James Tabor exposed as a fraudster over ‘Jonah Ossuary’ faked photographs

Posted on 13/03/2012 by

If the evidence doesn’t fit, Photoshop it: digital image manipulation in the case of Simcha Jacobovici and James Tabor’s ‘Jonah Ossuary’ Sins of commission and omission: digitally generated marginal ‘fishes’ and overlooked handles on the so-called ‘Jonah Ossuary’

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Paula White wins major biblical studies award

Posted on 19/04/2011 by

Special Passover Award For BS (Biblical Stupidity) That’s right folks: God is magic! All right.  Now I want you all to put on your surprise faces: to unlock the Magic of God’s Passover Blessing you have to perform a ritual … Continue reading →

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Quote of the day: Joe Zias on David Elkington’s fake metal codices

Posted on 06/04/2011 by

‘They are of such poor quality I’m surprised that anyone bought the story.  On the other hand it’s always the biblical scholars who fall for this stuff as dirt archaeologists, museum curators, and dealers can usually spot these items as … Continue reading →

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Jordanian metal codices update: Peter Thonemann confirms they are fakes and explains why

Posted on 06/04/2011 by

The Messiah codex decoded by Peter Thonemann, Wadham College, Oxford Who could resist?  Photographs of a mysterious-looking copper notebook duly arrived.  Strange sequences of Greek letters curled around depictions of a palm tree, a walled city, a crocodile and, oddly, Alexander … Continue reading →

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Israeli antiquities expert Robert Deutsch on David Elkington’s fake metal codices

Posted on 05/04/2011 by

Robert Deutsch explains some of the origins of the mishmash of inscriptions on the forged metal codices: I will give a short description of some highlights from the iconography depicted on several “codices” for the scholars who are not familiar … Continue reading →

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The Jordanian fake metal codices: who is David Elkington and what are his motives?

Posted on 04/04/2011 by

It seems to me that this is the most important question about these forgeries.  Some preliminary diggings can be found here: Some Light on David Elkington, or is it Paul? Recent ‘Real’ Biographies on David Elkington, the Lead Head Related: … Continue reading →

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‘Minimalist’ Philip Davies claims David Elkington’s metal codices are “probably not a forgery”

Posted on 04/04/2011 by

“They are probably not a hoax or a forgery” claims Davies, Prof. Emeritus, Department of Biblical Studies, University of Sheffield. Amazing, and sad, that Davies is so out of touch about this.  Proof, if any were needed, that biblical ‘minimalists’ can lack proper … Continue reading →

Posted in Archaeology, Biblical Studies | Tagged , , , , , , ,

Aramaic scholar Steve Caruso on the fake lettering on David Elkington’s Jordanian metal codices

Posted on 04/04/2011 by

Aramaic expert Steve Caruso finally finds a photograph of the writing on one of the codices and examines it closely: Finally a Good Look at the “Lead Codices” Script and concludes: On a scale of 1 to 5 where 1 is … Continue reading →

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Peter Thonemann’s evidence that Jordanian metal codices touted by David Elkington are fakes

Posted on 04/04/2011 by

Daniel O. McClellan does a superb job of gathering the evidence together that establishes the Jordanian metal codices as forgeries, and their promoter David Elkington as a highly questionable character: Thoughts on the Jordan Lead Codices These plates are all the work of … Continue reading →

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Margaret Barker, etc. on the fake metal codices being touted by David Elkington & Hassan Saida

Posted on 03/04/2011 by

Tom Verenna has compiled much useful information in a succession of blog posts: Margaret Barker Responds on Lead Tablets Lead Codices Updates from Margaret Barker and Philip Davies More Updates from Margaret Barker About “Jordan” Codices For examples of the ‘uncanny’ similarity between … Continue reading →

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Peter Thonemann publishes emails between him and David Elkington about forged lead codices

Posted on 01/04/2011 by

From here: Lead Codices, or: One Born Every Minute Over the past few days, you may have seen a spot of press attention about a cache of lead codices ‘from a remote cave in the north of Jordan’, which allegedly … Continue reading →

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Whether lead plates or bronze tablets, the Jordanian ‘early Christian’ codices are forgeries

Posted on 01/04/2011 by

The Jordanian metal books currently being touted as “the archaeological find of the century” have turned out to be fakes.  Many observers thought this would be the case, as their provenance was highly suspicious and their promoter, David Elkington, is highly questionable … Continue reading →

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[Updated] The early Christian lead codices from Jordan are now confirmed as forgeries

Posted on 31/03/2011 by

Daniel O. McClellan quotes an email letter by Peter Thonemann – who says the lead codices are forgeries and gives his reasons why: The only possible explanation is that the text on the bronze tablet was copied directly from the inscription in the museum … Continue reading →

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Jordanian ‘early Christian’ lead codices: more important than the Dead Sea Scrolls or a forgery?

Posted on 29/03/2011 by

The best pictures currently available on the internet can be viewed at the BBC website photographs of the lead codices. New Testament scholar Larry Hurtado says be cautious: The writing is reported as some kind of Hebrew but coded.  Until the items are … Continue reading →

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