Friday, August 16, 2024

Is the Ivory Pomegranate inscription authentic?

BIBLE ARCHAEOLOGY REPORT: Weighing the Evidence: Is the Ivory Pomegranate Authentic? (Bryan Windle).
If authentic, this small artifact has big implications, possibly representing the only physical evidence of the First Temple in Jerusalem. If it is fake, it is a clever forgery that has fooled some of the world’s leading epigraphers and led to Israel Museum, Jerusalem (IMJ) being taken for over half a million dollars.
HT Todd Bolen, just back from an 9,000 mile-road trip, at the Bible Places Blog.

Background on the debate over the authenticity of the Ivory Pomegrate inscription is here and links. The current leaning seems to be in the direction of authenticity, as Bryan indicates. I have no opinion on the question myself.

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