Wednesday, March 14, 2007

STEPHEN J. PFANN says that "Mary Magdalene Is Now Missing" from the Talpiot Tomb. Maybe better "still missing," but the point is he has an interesting new reading of the inscription on the relevant ossuary.
SUMMARY POINTS OF DISCUSSION:
  • The original transcription of the inscription was incorrect.

  • The inscription does not read “Mariamene the Master”nor does the name Mariamene or Mariamne appear on the ossuary at all.

  • The inscription reflects the writing of two distinct scribes who wrote in different forms of the Greek script.

  • The correct reading of the inscription is “Mariame and Mara,” based on parallels from contemporary inscriptions and documents.

  • The ossuary thus contained the bones of at least two different women, interred at two separate times, one named Mariame and the other Mara.

  • No support exists for ascribing the ossuary to Mary Magdalene.
Mark Goodacre has comments here.

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