SWBTS has new DSS fragments

MORE DEAD SEA SCROLLS FRAGMENTS at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary:

Jordan- Southwestern Seminary to unveil Dead Sea Scroll fragments

MENAFN - Jordan Times - 11/04/2012

(MENAFN - Jordan Times) The Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary from Fort Worth, Texas, today unveils its newest acquisition of biblical Dead Sea scroll fragments, according to a seminary statement made available to The Jordan Times on Tuesday.

The event, which takes place in a Jordanian goat hair tent, presents a fragment of Dead Sea scrolls from the Paleo-Leviticus period, and a first edition 1516 Erasmus Greek New Testament, according to the statement.

The seminary invited Naser Abu Abdullah, a Jordanian bedouin expected to follow in his father's footsteps as head of the Ajrami tribe, to pitch the tent on Monday "as his ancestors have for generations", says the statement.

Abu Abdullah is expected to demonstrate how to roast coffee beans and answer questions through a translator while he serves coffee at the event, according to the statement.

Free coffee!

Attending the event are Southwestern Seminary President Paige Patterson and seminary professors, including those responsible for the institution's ongoing archaeology digs in Israel and Cyprus.

According to the Southwestern Seminary, it owns more Dead Sea Scroll fragments than any institution outside Jordan and Israel. The seminary will host the "Dead Sea scrolls and the Bible" exhibition from July to January 2013, displaying 16 scroll fragments, according to the statement.

[...]

Apparently this means that SWBTS has acquired still more fragments in recent months. As of December of last year they had nine or ten. No details so far on the contents of the new fragments. For that matter, reports on the contents of the earlier nine or ten were not very informative. Background here and links.

UPDATE: There is an announcement of the event with more details here. (HT reader Matthew Hamilton.)

DJD 1

DISCOVERIES IN THE JUDAEAN DESERT, volume 1, is back in print: Qumran Cave 1. Edited by D. Barthélemy and J. T. Milik.

"Originally published in 1955, this volume is being reissued to make the entire series available to students and scholars of biblical and post-biblical Judaism and early Christianity."

(HT Alin Suciu on FB.)

Rollston on forgery

ASOR BLOG: FORGING HISTORY: MOTIVES, METHODS, AND EXEMPLARS OF FORGED TEXTS [1] (Christopher Rollston)

I didn't know that the quotation about the teeth was a forgery.

'There is no new Hebrew without ancient Hebrew'

THE ACADEMY OF THE HEBREW LANGUAGE is making progress on its Historical Dictionary of the Hebrew Language, but there is still much work to be done.

'There is no new Hebrew without ancient Hebrew'

Historical dictionary aims for greater comprehensiveness than researchers say computers can yield.

By Nir Hasson (Haaretz)

This is a rich article that is difficult to excerpt (read it all), but here are a few highlights:

The digitization of old texts has become fairly common - for instance, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem recently announced it was expanding the digital version of its Einstein archives - but, in something of a switch for the Internet era, the Historical Dictionary of the Hebrew Language is aiming for greater comprehensiveness than researchers say computers can yield.

[...]

The dictionary already contains more than 20,000 entries and has been under construction for 58 years. But it could take another generation until the dictionary is complete, said the president of the language academy, Moshe Bar-Asher.

The labor-intensive project requires many hours spent reading, defining and breaking down word after word in an effort to create the most comprehensive map of the Hebrew language. There is something seemingly Sisyphean about the snail's pace of fastidiously compiling a massive database of Hebrew words.

The 7,919 texts that have been entered into the database include the Mishna and Talmud - but not the Bible, for which concordances already exist. Other ancient texts include the Dead Sea Scrolls, Gaonic literature from the 6th to 11th centuries and medieval poetry. The most recent writer is S.Y. Agnon, who died in 1970, and other modern writers whose work is going in the database include Chaim Nachman Bialik, Ahad Ha'am, Vladimir Jabotinsky and Mendele Mocher Sefarim. Haim Be'er, A.B. Yehoshua and Amos Oz could also make it in, according to Bar-Asher.

[...]

The problem starts after the year 1050. At that time the language began to expand significantly, and it is not possible to enter all the texts ever written in Hebrew into the database. From then to today, Ben-Asher estimates that 500 million to 1 billion words have been written in Hebrew. In order to decide whether to include a given text in the database, scholars assess the influence a text has had on the Hebrew writing that came later or affords a look at unique Hebrew words, such as scientific literature from the Middle Ages.

[...]

Prediction: Technological advances in AI in the next decade or two will mean that this project is completed well ahead of schedule and more comprehensively than planned now.

Demeter sanctuary?

A PAGAN UNDERWORLD SANCTUARY IN THE JUDEAN HILLS?

Israeli cave was seen as porthole to Roman underworld, researchers say

Researchers say Twins Cave may have been site of pagan ritual that lighted the way to Hades' realm.

By Ran Shapira (Haaretz)

Tags: Jerusalem

We often hear about how Jerusalem is holy to followers of the three major monotheistic religions. But what is less well-known is that the surrounding Judean hills were home to pagan ritual sites involving Greco-Roman gods. One such site, linked to the harvest goddess Demeter, has been identified at the Twins Cave, according to a study released by the Yad Ben-Zvi historical research institute last week.

[...]

Zissu and Klein said in the study that the Twins Cave was used for just such pagan rituals between the second and fourth century C.E.

The 42 clay lamps from the late Roman period discovered in the cave were used as part of a pagan rite, apparently meant to guide Demeter's way as she searched underground for her daughter, they said. Similar lamps and torches were used in celebrations dedicated to Demeter in ancient Greece, and the theory is in keeping with contemporary depictions of ceremonies dedicated to Demeter that have been found in Acre, Beit She'an, Nablus and Caesarea.

[...]

Free chapter: Asprem, Arguing with Angels

FOR YOU, SPECIAL DEAL: The first chapter of Egil Asprem's forthcoming book, Arguing with Angels: Enochian Magic and Modern Occulture (SUNY, May 2012) is now available for free online. Asprem writes on his blog, Heterodoxology:

My first book, Arguing with Angels: Enochian Magic and Modern Occulture, is due to be released by SUNY Press next month (May 2012). The publisher has now released the first chapter of the book in electronic form on their website, so that you can read it there for free. This chapter is entitled “The Magus and the Seer”, and deals with John Dee’s angel conversations, the cultural and intellectual context, the role of the skryer, Edward Kelley, and some interpretations and explanations of what happened. When I wrote this chapter, already several years ago, it was intended as a “state of research” on Dee’s angelic diaries, and serve as an important reference for the rest of the book.

I noted the book in August of last year here. I shall be reading it carefully, especially the first chapter, as I prepare my SBL paper for the November meeting in Chicago: The 94 Books of Ezra and the Angelic Revelations of John Dee.

Also, here is another Heterodoxology post on the Dee-Kelley revelations which is highly relevant to my paper: An etiology of angelic vision: Article on John Dee and Edward Kelly in Aries.

More from Bauckham on the Talpiot Tomb inscription

RICHARD BAUCKHAM has published a roundup essay on the Talpiot (Talpiyot) Tomb inscription over at Larry Hurtado's Blog: Bauckham on the Talpiyot Tomb Inscription. Go there for a link to the pdf file.

The fact that expert epigraphers and philologists can come up with such different readings is an object lesson in how much we still don't know about ancient languages and their historical contexts.

Background on the recent discussion of this inscription is here, here and here. Background in general on the Jesus Discovery/Talpiot Tombs discussion is here with many links.

Happy Easter

HAPPY EASTER to all those celebrating.

James McGrath has a roundup post on relevant topics: Talpiot Tomb/Good Friday-Easter/Passover Round-Up.

The Jesus Discovery/Talpiot (Talpiyot) Tombs story has moved into the realm of the surreal with the confusion over the face of Jesus on one of the ossuaries. See Mark Goodacre at the NT Blog and make sure to read the update: Face of Jesus spotted in Ossuary 2, Talpiot Tomb B.

Background to the whole story is here and here and links.

Also, a relevant essay for the day: The Jesus debate: Man vs. myth (John Blake, CNN Belief Blog). Excerpt:

On this Easter Sunday, millions of Christians worldwide will mark the resurrection of Jesus. Though Christians clash over many issues, almost all agree that he existed.

But there is another view of Jesus that’s been emerging, one that strikes at the heart of the Easter story. A number of authors and scholars say Jesus never existed. Such assertions could have been ignored in an earlier age. But in the age of the Internet and self-publishing, these arguments have gained enough traction that some of the world’s leading New Testament scholars feel compelled to publicly take them on.

Most Jesus deniers are Internet kooks, says Bart D. Ehrman, a New Testament scholar who recently released a book devoted to the question called “Did Jesus Exist? The Historical Argument for Jesus of Nazareth.”

He says Freke and others who deny Jesus’ existence are conspiracy theorists trying to sell books.

“There are people out there who don’t think the Holocaust happened, there wasn’t a lone JFK assassin and Obama wasn’t born in the U.S.,” Ehrman says. “Among them are people who don’t think Jesus existed.”

The article gives a pretty balanced treatment, by which I mean that it shows both sides of the argument and that one side is goofy. In fact, there isn't really an academic argument: the SBL, SNTS, BNTS, etc. annual conferences do not have "Did Jesus Exist?" sessions, because specialists who actually publish peer-review publications etc. agree that Jesus existed and don't see anything to debate.

What we can know about the historical Jesus is quite another matter, one about which there is much debate among specialists. For some related reflections see here, here, here, here, here, here, and follow the many links.

And in answer to the question posed in the article, yes, it matters if Jesus existed. Because history matters.

Phoenicia on display in London

THE GOOD SHIP PHOENICIA will be on display in London this summer:

In summer 2012 there is a unique opportunity for members of the public, schools and corporates to visit Phoenicia in London, UK and attend the world premier of an exhibition “The Phoenicians: The Greatest Ancient Sailors” at Saint Katharine Docks.

This is a once in a life time opportunity to experience life on board an authentic replica Phoenician ship from 600BC and learn more about the mysterious Phoenicians. The exhibition will feature historic artefacts alongside interactive exhibits and media clips. Suitable for all ages this exhibition promises to inspire, challenge and educate visitors from far and wide.

Dates and prices:

“The Phoenicians: The Greatest Ancient Sailors” will premier in London from 2nd June-13th July and again from 22nd August-30th September 2012 at Saint Katharine Docks, London http://www.skdocks.co.uk/.

Follow the first link for more information.

(Via the About.com Europe Travel blog.)

Background on the 2008-10 circum-African voyage of the Phoenicia is here with many links.

Passover and Good Friday

PASSOVER begins this evening at sundown, and today is also Good Friday. Best wishes to all those observing them.

Also relevant: Piyyut and Modern Hebrew Poetry – The Passover Connection (Ophir Münz-Manor, The Talmud Blog).

Tangentially relevant: Jews reclaim Jesus as one of their own (Richard Allen Greene, CNN Belief Blog). For detailed evaluations of the recent books by Boteach and Boyarin, see here and follow the links.

ASOR blog on the antiquities market

ASOR BLOG: Buyer Beware: Shopping for Artifacts in the Holy Land (Morag M. Kersel). Excerpt:

Those in positions of political power acted on behalf of the dealing and collecting communities to ensure that the traditional enterprise of dealing in antiquities would be allowed to continue. While supporting a trade, the Antiquities Law of 1978 was passed with the intention of putting a stop to the illegal excavation of artifacts – by allowing a legally available supply of artifacts there should be no new looting. But various legal loopholes in the law and the ongoing battle to monitor the thousands of archaeological sites and monuments results in the ongoing destruction of the archaeological landscape in order to supply the burgeoning market demand.

Sabaean cemetery desecrated in Kirkuk

ALTHOUGH IRAQI KURDISTAN is a relatively safe area, Kirkuk continues to have many problems: Sabean graves desecrated in Iraq's Kirkuk (AFP).

The Sabean Mandeans (Sabaean Mandaeans) have had a hard lot in Iraq ever since the war. Background here and links.

Jesus Discovery/Talpiot tombs latest

I CONFESS that I have not been paying much attention to the Talpiot (Talpiyot) Tombs controversy lately, but fortunately James McGrath has. See Talpiot Tomb, Jesus Mythicism, and Related Round-Up and Into and Out of Tombs Round-Up at Exploring Our Matrix.

ASOR Blog on looting and contextless artifacts

ASOR BLOG: April Theme: Fakes, Looting, and Artifacts Lacking Context.

ASOR and the guest editors hope to provide a venue for individuals to discuss and debate this important topic, which is certainly timely with the recent announcement of a verdict in the forgery trial in Israel. The judge in that case rightly observed that debate about the authenticity of unprovenanced artifacts and their importance (or lack of importance) should be discussed in an academic setting. The ASOR Blog seeks to provide such a venue for an open and civil discussion.

No posts on the topic have gone up yet. Now's your chance!

Dr. Elka Klein Memorial Travel Grant

TRAVEL GRANT (H-JUDAIC):

Dr. Elka Klein Memorial Travel Grant
Dr. Elka Klein (1965-2005) was passionate about her profession as a historian and a teacher. Her untimely death in the spring of 2005 was a great loss to all who knew her, whether personally or professionally. In her memory, her friends and professional colleagues in the fields of History and Jewish Studies have created a fitting memorial to honor her dedication to and her achievements in her academic life.

A cash grant of $1500 will be awarded in Dr. Klein's memory to a doctoral candidate preparing to spend a semester or more of the 2012-13 academic year abroad conducting historical research towards his/her dissertation.

The grant recipient will be selected by a panel of scholars based on the relevance and potential contribution of the proposed work to the fields and concerns important to Dr. Klein, such as Sephardic culture, medieval history, gender studies, and Jewish studies.

The application deadline is 20 April. Follow the links for full details.

More on Karaite Passover

BRENDA GAZZAR writes in JewishJournal.com about

My family’s Karaite-style Passover

by Brenda Gazzar, Contributing Writer

Never mind the gefilte fish and brisket, the mass-produced, cardboard-like matzah and the kosher-for-Passover wine. Instead, Passover seder at my parents’ Karaite Jewish home includes a mouth-watering menu of barbecued lamb chops, crisp homemade matzah, sweet raisin juice and chewy almond cookies that stick to the roof of my mouth.

The yellowing, paper haggadah we use relies on biblical Hebrew verses that recount the Israelite Exodus from Egypt chanted in exotic, Oriental melodies. Ironically, the thin booklet was brought from my parents’ native Cairo during the community’s own exodus from Gamal Abdel Nasser’s pan-Arabist regime, more than four decades ago. Because my sister and I were raised in a Reform temple in the far-flung desert town of Barstow, we eagerly chanted the Four Questions and searched tirelessly for the afikomen. It was only much later that we came to know that those rabbinic, or mainstream, Jewish traditions had been conspicuously absent from my parents’ Passover seder in Cairo.

[...]

Background on the Karaites here and links. More on Karaite Passover here.

Google Art Project and Israel Museum

THE ISRAEL MUSEUM is going online with the Google Art Project: Google Art Project allows viewers worldwide to explore ancient exhibits at Israel Museum.

Google is already putting images of the Dead Sea Scrolls online. Background here and here and links.

Review of Grafton & Weinberg, "I Have Always Loved the Holy Tongue"

BOOK REVIEW:

Anthony Grafton, Joanna Weinberg. "I have always loved the Holy Tongue": Isaac Casaubon, the Jews, and a Forgotten Chapter in Renaissance Scholarship. Cambridge: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 2011. x + 380 pp. $35.00 (cloth), ISBN 978-0-674-04840-9.

Reviewed by Deborah Goodwin (Gustavus Adolphus College)
Published on H-Judaic (April, 2012)
Commissioned by Jason Kalman

Isaac Casaubon’s Christian Hebraism: From Margin to Center
This volume derives from the authors’ jointly presented Jackson Lectures, sponsored by Harvard University’s Department of Classics in 2008. The book bears felicitous traces of its origins in the spoken word. Joanna Weinberg and Anthony Grafton sustain a series of complex arguments, bolstered by meticulous detail and generous illustrations, with exceptional clarity and wit. Isaac Casaubon (1559-1614) was renowned as a classicist or philologist, and sometime controversialist for the cause of Reformed Protestantism. Grafton and Weinberg’s goal is to demonstrate that Casaubon was a “serious student of Jews and Judaism” (p. 4), a role heretofore unacknowledged. The authors achieve something larger: the reframing of convenient but limiting categories (“classicist,” “Hebraist”) to capture the unity of Casaubon’s scholarly and religious life. His great nineteenth-century biographer, Mark Pattison, focused on Casaubon’s achievements as a humanist and classical scholar, while deriding his study of patristics (and ignoring his study of Hebrew altogether). Weinberg and Grafton by contrast undertake to “study a classical scholar historically ... [a study that] by its nature [is] not easy to link with larger contexts, social, cultural, and religious, in which he lived and worked” (p. 9). They bring us the whole man in a series of involving, chapter-long “case studies” (p. 20; the term doesn’t do justice to the richness of argumentation and evidence presented in each chapter)

[...].

Earlier reviews are noted here.

Book review: Boyarin, The Jewish Gospels

DANIEL BOYARIN'S NEW BOOK is reviewed by Alan Brill at his blog, The Book of Doctrines and Opinions: Daniel Boyarin- new book The Jewish Gospel. (The book title actually reads "Gospels," plural.) Excerpt:

This is not at all like the ill-informed gibberish of Boteach who lacked any research skilled. Yet, I don’t know how this will play out among ordinary non-academic Jews. Boyarin does not accept Kosher Jesus and thinks that Rabbinic Judaism in its definition rejected it. This rejection of a “second power” by rabbinic Jews, begins a “heresiological” process in Christianity and Judaism. Polemics created the nascent borders, yet it was intellectual “smugglers who transported discourses [. . .] in both directions across the abstract frontier of the two groups.” In non-technical terms, Boyarin assumes that these positions were slowly rejected in the first centuries though self-definitions and polemics. They were no longer kosher by the end of the process.

In contrast, the academic field won’t accept all of Boyarin’s conclusions; however, they will embrace the book because he pushes the limit on questioning our essentialism and fixed boundaries of the first century.

The book by Boteach is noted here and links. More on Boyarin's book and his other work here and links.

Earliest Christian Graffito?

LARRY HURTADO: The Earliest Christian Graffito?

Perhaps because Bagnall doesn’t have a TV production company behind him, we haven’t seen this item in the daily news. But, while we wait to see what scholars make of the Talpiot tombs, and whether in fact we have a fragment of a 1st-century copy of the Gospel of Mark, here we have a published artifact that has strong claims for anyone interested in the origins of Christianity.

New book: Zawanowska, Karaite commentary on Genesis

NEW BOOK:

The Arabic Translation and Commentary of Yefet ben ʿEli the Karaite on the Abraham Narratives (Genesis 11:10–25:18)
Edition and Introduction. Karaite Texts and Studies Volume 4

Marzena Zawanowska

This volume contains a critical edition of the Arabic translation and commentary on the Abraham narratives in the Book of Genesis (chs. 11-25) by the most prominent and prolific commentator of the Karaite “Golden Age,” Yefet ben ʻEli ha-Levi (10-11 C.E.). Yefet’s interpretation of the Abraham cycle establishes him as a highly original commentator and provides new insights into the history of exegesis of the book of Genesis. The edition is preceded by a comprehensive study of Yefet’s hermeneutic approach in comparison to that of other medieval commentators. Among the subjects discussed are Yefet’s view on the authorship of the Torah, his translation technique, literary aspects of his exegesis, and polemical overtones discernible in his commentary on Genesis. The study also includes a comprehensive survey of earlier commentaries on this book by other Karaite writers both prior to and contemporary with Yefet.

More on the Karaites here and links.

Sad News: Helmer Ringgren

THIS JUST IN from Viv Rowett, SOTS membership secretary:

I have had news from Prof. Bertil Albrektson of the death of the Society´s oldest Honorary Member, Professor Helmer Ringgren, Uppsala (elected 1973).

"He died on Monday, 26th March, at 94 years of age. The chief mourners are his three daughters and their families.

His last years were made difficult by serious eye trouble, which prevented him from reading, and he also suffered from leg problems, making him fairly immobile; he was not often seen outside his home.

He got his doctorate at Uppsala in 1947 and was a pupil of Geo Widengren, professor of Comparative Religion, and of the famous semitist H. S. Nyberg. He had held chairs both in Comparative Religion (Åbo, Finland, 1962-64), and in Old Testament Exegetics (Evanston, 1960-62; Uppsala 1964-83).

The funeral service will be held at Helga Trefaldighets kyrka (Holy Trinity church) in Uppsala 11th April at 3 p.m."

The Wikipedia article on Professor Ringgren (not yet updated with death date at this moment) is here. Requiescat in pace.

Review of The Golem

REVIEW: Ego Po's 'The Golem' updates ancient tales (Howard Shapiro, Philadelphia Inquirer). Excerpt:

The cast, which created the show as an ensemble work for Ego Po's season of Jewish-themed theater, tells the classic tale of a golem who tried to protect Prague's Jews from attacks during Passover, when priests spread libels about Christian blood in the Jews' matzohs.

That tale is told, though, in a revealing new context. Eight Jews, on a deportation train to what will be a death camp in 1941, tell one another the story as they barrel through Prague. They progress to other golem tales and, as they take parts in each, you realize they are searching for their own golem, though it - like others - will not really be able to stem the tide against them.

It's a great idea for a piece of theater. The troupe, directed by Brenna Geffers, performs The Golem with marionette puppets (by Martina Plag) and to original music by Andrew Nelson, which cast members play. The Eastern European Jewish music is highly derivative, which is precisely why it works here.

The reviewer thinks the performance was a little too intense and was still a little rough around the edges, although both could improve with practice.

Background to this production and to the Golem legend in general here and links.

Gorgias Syriac Bible Project

ANNOUNCEMENT FROM GORGIAS PRESS (with special deal!):

Announcing the Surath Kthob Series: The Syriac Bible with English Translation.

Gorgias Press is pleased to announce the launch of a new series called Surath Kthob that will make available the Syriac Bible in English translation. This series will provide, for the first time, a bilingual English-Syriac edition of the whole Syriac Bible. The English translation is close to the Syriac, but is idiomatic. The Syriac text is fully vocalized and pointed with Rukkokho and Qushoyo points. This is the first time a fully vocalized and pointed edition of the Syriac Bible is published in the serto script. This tremendous undertaking is being carried out by an international team of specialists. It is expected that this project will consist of 30 volumes, with the first 4-6 volumes published in the next 12 months. The Book of Isaiah is in press and will be followed early in the summer by the Gospel of Matthew.

Gorgias is running a limited-time special subscription rate for the first 100 individual subscribers at half price. The first 100 individual subscribers will be able to lock the price of all future volumes at $75 a volume. As this is a very costly project, it is expected that the list price will be $150/volume.

Both the vocalized texts and the English translations will be very useful. Follow the link above to the Hugoye post, where there are various links about the project and the discount deal.

Free stuff from ASOR

FOR YOU, SPECIAL DEAL: ASOR Journals’ Current Content Now Available for Free on JSTOR! Limited-time offer.

More on the Talmud in Arabic

THE TALMUD BLOG: The Babylonian Talmud, Now in Arabic (Yitz Landes). "Stay tuned for a full review of the edition in the coming months."

I will look forward to it.

Background here.

Biblical Studies Carnival

THE MARCH (OR IS IT APRIL?) BIBLICAL STUDIES CARNIVAL has been posted by Jim West at Zwinglius Redivivus.

Fun facts about the Lod Mosaic

IN CASE YOU WERE WONDERING: The Lod mosaic master wore size 43 shoes (Nir Hasson, Haaretz).

Whoever laid this mosaic worked neither quickly nor cheaply. Nagar believes the mosaic master was world-famous, and from the zoological repertoire, came from North Africa. Commissioned for this job, he would have arrived with a small entourage of assistants.

After his patron - probably a wealthy merchant - picked the designs from a catalogue, the master would begin planning. The space was leveled and then overlaid with stones and pieces of limestone for strength, followed by two layers of plaster. The master would then sketch the design with pigment powder and his assistants, artists in their own right, would begin the Sisyphean work of laying the tiny stones.

The floor is made of some two million such tesserae, measuring about 0.8 cm each. All were naturally colored and interspersed with pieces of glass especially made for the mosaic, and some were gilded. "That means the hall was not used by crowds - you don't use stones like that where a lot of people were walking," Nagar says.

Nagar says the work took about three and a half years, and at least three people worked on it, each with a distinctive style.

Something else distinctive about the artists has emerged: One wore a size 43 shoe, another was shorter and wore a 36, and women and children also worked on it. Nagar and his staff discovered this when the original plaster backing, revealed during the mosaic's removal, was found to contain footprints.

The antiquities authority and Padua University in Italy are now studying the footprints with laser scans and examining the plaster's make-up to learn more about the artists, such as their height and weight.

For those, like me, who are not immediately familiar with Israeli shoe sizes, Joseph Lauer helpfully posted the following on his e-mail list:

The 43 is about a 9.5-10 size men's shoe (and a 12.5-13 women's shoe) in the USA.
The 36 is about a 5.5-6 size women's shoe in the USA (and not even on the charts for men's shoes).

Much as I like giants, I am relieved to hear that the Lod Mosaic master was not one of them.

Background on the Lod Mosaic is here and here and links.

Zenobia on the Queen of Sheba

JUDITH WEINGARTEN discusses the Queen of Sheba traditions over at Zenobia: Empress of the East: Questions On the Queen of Sheba's Gold.

PaleoJudaica has been following the (supposed) archaeology of the Queen, as well as other aspects of the Queen of Sheba tradition, for a long time. See here, with many links. Incidentally, and further to Judith's comments, the Queen of Sheba got more out of her expensive visit to Solomon than just wisdom. At least according to the legends in the Kebra Negast she also came away with a baby who became the heir to her throne.

The translation of the Syriac version of The Questions of the Queen of Sheba by Sebastian Brock is being republished in volume one of the texts collected for the More Old Testament Pseudepigrapha Project, along with a new translation of the Armenian version by Vahan S. Hovhanessian. The volume should be out in the autumn of this year.

The Day of Slavonic Alphabet

THE DAY OF SLAVONIC ALPHABET is to be celebrated by and for Bulgarian Jews in Tel Aviv on 24 May.

Background here and here.

Another major discovery

JAMES MCGRATH: Fragment of the Original Copy of the Gospel of Mark Discovered!.

Another massively important discovery. What a day!

Important discovery at Khirbet Qeiyafa

LUKE CHANDLER: Rare anti-gravitational forces confirmed at Khirbet Qeiyafa.

Khirbet Qeiyafa. Always on the cutting edge of scientific research.

(Via Joseph I. Lauer.)

Review of The Temple Mount Code

THE TEMPLE MOUNT CODE by Charles Brokaw receives a highly positive review by Francis Moul at the Lincoln JournalStar: Review: Try 'Temple Mount,' which is Indiana Jones -- with class. Excerpt:

Brokaw writes a "wow" thriller -- but with a deep understanding of his subject. He, too, is a scholar and academic, a meticulous researcher and highly knowledgeable of the Holy Land. He is an accomplished linguist and brings a lifetime of study to his works.

It doesn't hurt that he also is a gifted writer who makes lively books.

My experience with such books is that they rarely live up to this sort of praise. Still, I havent seen this one, so I can't say whether any of this is true. But if Brokaw is such a gifted writer, why did he come up with a title that is such a cheap and transparent attempt to ride on the coattails of The Da Vinci Code? Of course it may be his publisher's fault, in which case I hope he is looking for a new publisher.

The book was noted earlier here.

Church Slavonic dispute in Bulgaria

CHURCH SLAVONIC is mixed up in a political controversy developing in the Russian Orthodox Church in Bulgaria:

Row over Russian churches in Bulgaria

Fri, Mar 16 2012 14:43 CET
byThe Sofia Echo staff
1400 Views

The Russian Orthodox Church in Bulgaria is wracked by controversy ahead of a scheduled April 2012 visit by Russian Patriarch Kirill, with some Bulgarian parishioners demanding the recall of the abbot in Sofia for allegedly sowing discord between Bulgarians and Russians.

Further, the abbot in Sofia is requesting autonomy for the Russian church in Bulgaria, which if granted would give it direct control over property including the landmark St Nikolay the Wonder-Worker church in central Sofia as well as, among others, the memorial church on the slopes of Shipka Peak.

Controversy began some weeks ago when the new abbot of the Russian church in Sofia, Filip, announced changes including his intention to have liturgies conducted in Church Slavonic instead of vernacular Bulgarian.

A significant proportion of those who attend the church in Sofia are Bulgarians and conducting services in ancient Slavonic would make the language inaccessible to them.

[...]

Israel Forgery Trial background

ODED GOLAN is interviewed by Nir Hasson in Haaretz: Israeli antiquities collector talks about his trial – and his acquittal. It also has lots of interesting background on the story. For example:

One of the most interesting sections in the ruling deals not with an artifact itself but with a black-and-white photo from the 1970s, taken in the home of Golan’s parents. Three shelves are visible in the picture: On the first are some books and a photograph of a young woman; on the second shelf, some ancient pottery vessels; and on the bottom shelf, the above-mentioned, now-famous James ossuary with the inscription in Aramaic, “Yaakov Bar Yosef, ahui diyeshua.”

The photo seemingly contradicts the prosecution’s claim that Golan had acquired the ossuary only after the turn of the millennium and took steps to forge the inscription on it. According to the state, a person who had developed extraordinary skill in forging ancient Hebrew inscriptions from the 9th century B.C.E. would have no trouble also forging a photograph from the 1970s.

Apparently quite a bit of effort was expended on both sides to establish that the photograph was either a fake or genuine. Golan even tracked down the woman, who was a former girlfriend, who then testified on his behalf.

Then this:

According to him, he and collectors like him rescue antiquities that otherwise would have been sold abroad. He is frustrated because most archaeological researchers ignore finds that were not discovered in a proper, organized excavation, on the grounds they cannot be authenticated or ascribed to a context. At the Israel Antiquities Authority, they also say that the collectors’ activity encourages robber excavations and the illegal trade in antiquities.

Also, there is good reason to suspect that many unprovenanced artifacts are fakes, and unfortunately it is often impossible to be sure in individual cases. (See here for more discussion and links.)

And this:

According to Golan, the community of antiquities collectors constitutes a very limited group of knowledgeable individuals, all of whom are experts, to whom it is not easy to sell fakes. He also mentions the absence of any logic in the forgery of which he was accused in the case of the Jehoash tablet.

“I said during the investigation that even if I had intended to make forgeries, I definitely wouldn’t have written 200 letters [of the alphabet], in which you can make mistakes in syntax and shape, and all this on stone that’s going to break,” he asserts. “If I were to forge, I’d make do with writing: ‘The Temple, entrance here.’ And if I’ve already written ‘brother of Jesus,’ wouldn’t it have been logical to add ‘of Nazareth’? Without that, it all remains in the realm of fantasy.”

On the first point, in other words someone got cocky and it didn't work. (I'm not saying Golan was the forger; he may have bought it in all innocence. But I do think it was forged.) On the second, adding only "the brother of Jesus" would leave just the right level of ambiguity to make the inscription more of a tease and somewhat more believable. Adding "of Nazareth" could have been too perfect.

Endless background to the forgery trial is here and here and links.

Saving Syriac

AINA: Saving Endangered Languages.

As part of the Spring 2012 World Policy Journal issue Speaking in Tongues, we invited acclaimed Lebanese singer Ghada Shbeir to write for The Big Question about the importance of keeping endangered languages alive. Shbeir writes and sings in the ancient language of Syriac, drawing attention to the beauty of the endangered Aramaic dialect that originated in the Mesopotamian city of Edessa, which now lies in Turkey. Syriac was the lingua franca of much of the Middle East from about the 7th century BC until the 7th century AD, when Arabic pushed the language to obscurity. After persecution of Syriac speakers in Ottoman Turkey during the 1890s and in the period of 1922-1925, the cities of Edessa and Diyarbakir in southeast Turkey, home to major Syriac populations, were abandoned. Some Syriacs stayed in the region of Tur Abdin, while many fled to neighboring countries like Syria and Lebanon in the late 19th and early 20th century or later immigrated to the West. Shbier is one of the last artists innovating and pushing the rich Syriac language forward, creating new and beautiful language in Christianity's ancient tongue. Shbier's short piece is a call to arms to preserve languages on the brink of disappearing.

Not to be too picky, but it's Aramaic (the diplomatic dialect of the Persian empire) that was the lingua franca of the Middle East in the-mid first millennium BCE. It was displaced as a diplomatic language by Greek after Alexander's conquest, but was still spoken very widely in the area for centuries. Syriac, as the article notes, started as the Aramaic dialect spoken in the Anatolian city of Edessa, but became the main language of Eastern Christianity.

Also, an excerpt from Shbier's statement:

What is being done to sustain the remains of a language that has made such tremendous contributions to world literature? After hundreds of years with fewer and fewer speakers, those familiar with the Syriac language are still fighting to keep it alive by preserving and expanding its dictionaries and grammar books. And, as one of the few remaining believers in Syriac, I am contributing to the spread of this historical language in every possible way by writing texts and manuscripts that I record on CD. As a musician, I use Syriac's unique and complex sounds to create a new way of singing in Arabic. In order to do so, I drew from famous and great works of ancient Syriac writers, such as father Mar Evram. All these efforts seek to ensure that Syriac is passed on from one generation to the other in a truthful and authentic way.

Strength to her arm.

The Talmud in Arabic

Jordan group translates Babylonian Talmud to Arabic

By JEREMY SHARON (Jerusalem Post)
03/28/2012 22:54

Israeli experts: Tractates often used to show Jewish "intolerance."

A think tank on Middle East affairs in Jordan has for the first time published a translation of the Babylonian Talmud in Arabic.

Middle East Studies Center based in Amman produced the 20-volume work, which took six years to complete and is the labor of 95 translators, language experts and editors.

The center’s director Jawad Ahmad refused to speak about the project with The Jerusalem Post and a member of the staff said that Ahmad would not speak with the Israeli press.

Information on the project available on the think tank’s website describes the Babylonian Talmud as “the most important work of historical Judaism and its religious teachings and theories of Jewish groups.” The center took on the Arabic translation of the Babylonian Talmud, it says, to understand the religious and philosophical roots and thought of the Orthodox Jewish mentality and will “open broad horizons for academic researchers to understand Jewish religious thought and to understand its ramifications throughout history.”

According to Dr. Mordechai Kedar, director of a new center for Middle East and Islamic Studies at Bar-Ilan University and an expert in Arabic literature and Middle East affairs, the Talmud is usually portrayed very negatively in the Muslim and Arab world.

“I doubt this new translation was done out of the goodness of their heart,” he told The Jerusalem Post. “The Muslim world generally looks upon the Talmud as a kind of prototype for the Protocols of the Elders of Zion,” Kedar said in reference to the early 20th century fabrication purporting to contain Jewish plans for world domination.

[...]

I agree that there are precedents that raise potential concerns, and the petty refusal of the center to speak with Israeli journalists is not encouraging. I have discussed the problem of "Talmud libel" here and links. But all that said, Talmud libel depends on selective quotation out of context, and indeed quotations from made-up, spurious sources. To translate the whole Talmud for the purpose of Talmud libel would not only be ridiculous overkill, it would be counterproductive, since it would allow readers to evaluate quotations in context and verify sources. So I think there is good reason to give this translation the benefit of the doubt and not to assume bad motives on the part of the translators. Assuming it has been done accurately, I think the translation of the entire Talmud into Arabic is a welcome development and I hope it is widely read.

For another attempt at a ("Zionist") translation of the Talmud into Arabic about a century ago, see here.

Karaite Passover

THE KARAITES ARE ALIVE AND WELL and living, inter alia, in California.

Karaites celebrate Passover strictly from Torah

by faith kramer, j. correspondent (jweekly.com)

On the first night of Passover, more than 200 families in the Bay Area will share some ancient seder traditions and foods that would be unfamiliar to Jews raised with the four questions and sweet haroset.

That’s because the Bay Area is home to the largest enclave of Karaite Jews in the United States. A sect with roots that go back to the eighth century, Karaite Judaism derives its practices strictly from what is in the written Torah and not from the Talmud or other rabbinic traditions.

[...]

Some earlier posts on the Karaites are here, here, here, here, here, and here.

Sensual mysticism in the Hekhalot Rabbati

JARED CALAWAY revives his Daily Hekhalot series and combines it this time with his more recent series on mysticism and the senses: God and the Senses (2): Hekhalot Rabbati §§163-164.

Nonetheless, this hymn stands out as a highly sensual account of the relationship between God and Israel as lovers who embrace during the recitation of the Qedushah: firstly flashing flirting eyes to each other as they recite, then smelling, and finally touching and embracing.

This reminds me of another passage in the Hekhalot Rabbati which involves God flirting, dancing with, and embracing the (female) living creatures who normally form part of the base of his throne. I have translated it here. That translation is a draft from my translation of the Hekhalot Rabbati, which is now nearing completion. You can find another draft excerpt by following the link here. Both passages have undergone some revision in the final version.

New book: Khan, A Short Introduction to the Tiberian Masoretic Bible

NEW BOOK:

Gorgias Press is pleased to announce the following publication by Geoffrey Khan
(Cambrdige):

Title: A Short Introduction to the Tiberian Masoretic Bible and its Reading Tradition
Price: $39.00
Series: Gorgias Handbooks 25
ISBN: 978-1-4632-0166-1
Language: English
Format: Paperback, Black, 6 x 9 in, 134 pp.

This book is intended to provide a quick introductory overview of the Tiberian Masoretic tradition of the Hebrew Bible and its background. It was this tradition that produced the great Masoretic codices of the Middle Ages, which form the basis of modern printed editions of the Hebrew Bible. The presentation gives particular prominence to the multi-layered nature of the Masoretic tradition. These layers include the various components of the written text surviving in the medieval Masoretic manuscripts as well as the reading tradition that was transmitted orally in the Middle Ages. Particular attention is given to the Tiberian reading tradition. Much of our current knowledge of this reading tradition, which is essential for a correct understanding of the Tiberian vocalization system, derives from recently discovered medieval sources and has not been incorporated so far into the standard textbooks of Biblical Hebrew used by students.

Geoffrey Khan has recently been elected 'Regius Professor of Hebrew' at the University of Cambridge. He was elected Fellow of the British Academy in 1998 and Honorary Fellow of the Academy of the Hebrew Language in 2011. In 2004 he was awarded the Lidzbarski Gold Medal for Semitic Philology.

Follow the link to the Hugoye post for further details.

I didn't know there was a Lidzbarski Gold Medal for Semitic Philology. Cool.

A Golem Seder in Philly

A NEW GOLEM PRODUCTION is coming to Philadelphia for Passover:

The Golem at Your Seder?

March 28, 2012 - Michael Elkin, Arts & Entertainment Editor (Jewish Exponent)

Now this is one big matzah ball hanging out there.

The Golem is the monster mash of all monster tales, a mythological Jewish figure centuries old -- with actual origins extending some 2,000 years -- whose mud makeup was only missing a cucumber or two to qualify him as progenitor of the modern-day spa master.

Built as a protector of the Jewish people against blood libel accusations by a renegade rabbi (by one account), he is now being reconstructed in a world premiere by EgoPo Classic Theatre (www.egopo.org), starting March 29 and running to April 15 at the Prince Music Theater in Center City.

[...]

Why is this Golem different from all other Golems?

Most other Golems choose just one of the versions from history. EgoPo's Golem is a fusion of the entire history of Golem myths going back more than 500 years. Our theatrical version deals with the cultural, spiritual and artistic history of Jewish life in Europe. It is told by a group of Philadelphia's top actors and uses a host of theatrical forms from klezmer to Czech puppetry to live action. Our story is a deep investigation into the uneasy relationship between Judaism and power.

[...]

Each performance is preceded by a seder.

Many more Golem posts here and links.

Elad wins court case

ELAD has won a court case regarding the City of David archaeological park:

Israel’s Supreme Court upholds privatisation of archaeological park
The Jewish organisation running the City of David site has been accused of marginalising its Arab residents

By Lauren Gelfond Feldinger. Web only (The Art Newspaper)
Published online: 28 March 2012

Israel’s Supreme Court rejected on 26 March a petition questioning the legality of management at the City of David archaeological park. The site, a few meters outside Jerusalem’s Old City walls, has been run by Elad under contract with the National Parks Authority. Elad is the first private organisation in Israel to fund and oversee an antiquities site in an Arab neighbourhood, while also settling Jewish residents there.

The petition, by the group Ir Amim, says that operations of national parks should not be in private hands, especially of an organisation with political mandates that are at odds with local residents. Since the ruling, which ends a three-year legal skirmish, Ir Amim has already begun working on a new petition to the court, requesting that the National Parks Authority publish the bids for the contract to run the site.

[...]

Background on Elad is here and many links.

Fulbright DSS award

CONGRATULATIONS to Justin Pannkuk:

Pannkuk receives Fulbright Fellowship to study overseas

March 29, 2012
The Daily Freeman Journal

ORANGE CITY - Justin Pannkuk, a 2009 religion graduate of Northwestern College, has received a Fulbright Fellowship to study the Dead Sea Scrolls at the University of Gttingen in Germany during the 201213 academic year, according to the United States Department of State and the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board.

He plans to use the database of Dead Sea Scrolls information at Gttingen to conduct research on the relationship between the Hebrew and Aramaic materials found among the Scrolls. His research will be overseen by Dr. Reinhard Kratz, director of both the Qumran Research Institute and the Centre for Ancient and Oriental Studies. Pannkuk also will work with Dr. Annette Steudel, leader of the Qumran-Lexicon research unit; Dr. Ingo Kottsieper, an Aramaist; and Dr. Noam Mizrahi, a Hebraist.

[...]

Around the Biblioblogosphere

SOME BIBLIOBLOGOSPHERIC POSTS that I have been meaning to get to:

The Talmud Blog: Otzar Ha-Geonim He-Hadash- Review by Yosaif Mordechai Dubovick.

Rogue Classicism: Blogosphere ~ Defining Ancient Magic: A Brief Historiography and Exploration.

Larry Hurtado: Graffiti and Roman Literacy.

Apocryphicity: Alphonse Mingana on the Study of the Apocrypha (1927).

ETC: Review of Schüssler, Biblia Coptica: Die koptischen Bibeltexte 4.3

Abnormal Interests: Poster Presentations And Biblical Studies Conferences.

Bible Places Blog: The Green Collection.

Robert Cargill: dr. jacob wright comments about the cyrus cylinder in the huffington post.

Lootbusters: Reported Missing by Turkey: Syriac Orpheus Mosaics.

There's more, but I'm saving some because I want to take time later to comment on them.

Elaine Pagels interviewed

ELAINE PAGELS is interviewed by Wil Gafney in Religion Dispatches Magazine: Fight the Power: How to Read, and Re-Read, the Book of Revelation. A conversation with Elaine Pagels. It's an interesting read, despite all the typos. Excerpt:

Since prophecy is an interpretative practice and the text of Revelation is so polyvalent, are there any readings of revelation that are out of bounds?

Well the question is, who sets the bounds? For many groups, people will say, well the way we read it is the only right way. But I would start to look at the whole history of this book, and how it has lived beyond the context in which John wrote it (the Jewish war against Rome and the world that in which he and the Jewish people were suffering under Roman oppression). I found it most useful to look at as many interpretations as we find.

Background (on her new book, Revelations) here and links.

Duke research fellowship

H-JUDAIC: Research Fellowships in Jewish Studies and Hebrew Bible at Duke University

The David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library and the Center for Jewish Studies are pleased to announce the availability of new fellowships to support scholars, students, and independent researchers whose work would benefit from access to the Judaica materials held by the Rubenstein Library, the Duke Divinity School Library, and/or Perkins Library. Applicants must live outside of a 100-mile radius from Durham, NC. Grants must be used between July 1, 2012 and June 30, 2013 Grant recipients will receive up to $1500 per week for funding, plus airfare Grant recipients will be required to submit a research report, either verbally via an informal luncheon colloquia or via written report.

Follow the link for application details.

Article on Judean coin auction

MORE ON THAT AUCTION OF ANCIENT JUDEAN COINS from The Forward:

Collectors Bid for Million-Dollar Shekel
Silver Coin from First Revolt Grabs Spotlight at Auction

By Lisa Amand
Published March 27, 2012, issue of March 30, 2012.

It was a single silver shekel that stole the spotlight at a recent New York coin auction. Its gavel price: $1.1 million.

Back in the day, the shekel might have represented four days of a soldier’s pay. But that was 66 C.E., during a bloody and doomed fight to the death by Jewish nationalists against their Roman overlords. On March 9, under the chandeliers and oil portraits of the Fletcher-Sinclair House, on Manhattan’s tony Upper East Side, this piece was just one of a trove of Roman era Judean coins eyed by a mix of numismatists, some in suits with deep pockets and others in jeans, at one of the largest auctions of coins from that era ever held.

This was an auction at which sela’im and zuzim­ — the equivalent of pocket change in Roman times — made a name for themselves. The event, sponsored by Heritage Auctions, a major house for ancient collectibles, also featured 260 silver-and-bronze pieces from the Bar Kokhba Revolt, a later, separate anti-Roman rebellion that broke out in 132 C.E. Several of those pieces fetched record-breaking amounts topping $100,000. Aficionados armed with loupes and credit cards, looking to start or complete a collection, converged on the turn-of-the-century mansion to pore over the bounty.

[...]

Background here and links.

New book: Patmore, Adam, Satan, and the King of Tyre

NEW BOOK:

Adam, Satan, and the King of Tyre
The Interpretation of Ezekiel 28:11-19 in Late Antiquity

Hector M. Patmore, Protestant Theological University of the Netherlands

The oracle against the King of Tyre, found in Ezekiel 28.12-19, is a difficult text that inspired diverse interpretations in Late Antiquity. For example, according to one rabbinic tradition the text spoke of the first man, Adam, while the Church Fathers found in the same text a description of the fall of Satan. This book studies the rabbinic sources, patristic literature, the Targum, and the ancient translations, and seeks to understand the reasons for the diverse interpretation, the interaction between the exegetical traditions and the communities of interpreters, in particular between Jews and Christians, and the effect the specific form and wording of the text had on the formation and development of each interpretation.

(HT Viv Rowett on the SOTS list.)

Mysticism and the senses (continued)

MORE FROM JARED CALAWAY: God and the Senses (General Suggestions) (Antiquitopia).

Background here.

New book: Mahieu, Between Rome and Jerusalem

NEW BOOK:

Between Rome and Jerusalem: Herod the Great and His Sons in Their Struggle for Recognition
A Chronological Investigation of the Period 40 BC - 39 AD, with a Time Setting of New Testament Events

(Peeters)
Series:
Orientalia Lovaniensia Analecta, 208

Authors: Mahieu B.

Year: 2012
ISBN: 978-90-429-2497-0
Pages: XXXVIII-668 p.
Price: 96 EURO

Summary:
The present study proposes a challenging new chronological framework for the Herodian age, a critical period in Jewish history. Not only do the rules of Herod the Great and his sons receive altered time settings, but the birth and death of Jesus are also placed several years later than is generally accepted. As a consequence of this the dates of Paul’s apostolate are reexamined. Ostensibly narrow in scope, these modifications entail far-reaching implications for our understanding of the Syro-Palestinian region at the beginning of the present era. Interconnections between numerous events are established and tensions within and between the Herodian and Hasmonean dynasties are laid bare. It is shown that Roman impact on the East was substantial, with a strong Hellenistic influence exerted on local cultures. Several customs of the Jewish and early Christian communities, hitherto unknown, are also brought to light. Both in its details and in its overall sweep this important work sets up a stimulating reference point for future historical investigations of the Herodian and New Testament worlds.

Again, HT Christopher Rollston on FB.

New book: Zuckerman Festschrift

CONGRATULATIONS TO BRUCE ZUCKERMAN, for whom a Festscrift is now in press with Brill:

Puzzling Out the Past
Studies in Northwest Semitic Languages and Literatures in Honor of Bruce Zuckerman

Edited by Marilyn J. Lundberg, Steven Fine, and Wayne T. Pitard

Bruce Zuckerman has transformed the way we look at ancient Semitic inscriptions. Through his efforts, the most important inscriptions of biblical times have been reread and the history of the biblical and Second Temple periods reimagined. He has made contributions to the fields of biblical studies and modern Judaism, and, in founding Maarav: A Journal for the Study of the Northwest Semitic Languages and Literatures, has made the research of many scholars available to the scholarly community. The series of articles included here honor his many contributions through discussions of a wide variety of inscriptional materials, Biblical texts, archaeology, lexicography and teaching methodology. Included in the volume is a republication of his path breaking exhibition catalogue, Puzzling Out the Past.

More on Professor Zuckerman here and many links.

I was the first research assistant for the West Semitic Research Project and I also worked as editorial assistant for Maarav for a while.

HT Christopher Rollston on FB.

Easter articles (archaeology, crucifixion, etc.)

EASTER IS COMING, and the pre-Easter articles are coming in too.

First, Craig Evans gives a preview of his new book in his Huffington Post post: The Archaeological Evidence For Jesus (PHOTOS). As you might guess from the title, the post includes lots of nice photos.

The Jesus Discovery/Talpiot (Talpiyot) Tombs controversy also comes up.

Second, Matti Friedman has a piece in The Times of Israel on the crucified man (also mentioned by Evans): In a stone box, the only trace of crucifixion: An ossuary at the Israel Museum contains the sole physical evidence ever found for the Roman practice of execution on the cross. Excerpt:

After Yehohanan’s body was removed from the cross, it would have been laid out in a burial cave. After the flesh had decomposed a year or so later, leaving only the skeleton, his bones were gathered in a simple stone box, an ossuary, in keeping with the Jewish practice of that time. Today, the box is displayed in a gallery at the Israel Museum alongside other artifacts from the period of Roman rule in Judea.

His name is inscribed in simple letters on one side: Yehohanan, son of Hagakol. (Some scholars, interpreting the letters differently, believe the second name is Hezkil.)

Inside the box, archaeologists found a heel bone with an iron stake driven through it, indicating that the occupant of the ossuary had been nailed to a cross.

The position of the stake was evidence of a crucifixion technique that had not previously been known, according to museum curator David Mevorah. In the image of crucifixion made famous by Christian iconography, Jesus is pictured with both feet nailed to the front of the vertical beam of the cross. But this man’s feet had been affixed to the sides of the beam with nails hammered separately through each heel.

His hands showed no sign of wounds, indicating that they had been tied, rather than nailed, to the horizontal bar.

Professor Evans's book is Jesus and His World: The Archaeological Evidence (WJK, hot off the press).

Background on the crucified man and related matters is here.

As for the Talpiot Tombs, I haven't been paying too much attention, but here's an update from the indefatigable James McGrath from a couple of days ago: Talpiot Photos and a Video that may Change your Perspective. And add to it Antonio Lombatti, Observations on the “Jonah” Iconography on the Ossuary of Talpiot B Tomb (Bible and Interpretation). And earlier background is here.

Secret Mark book in press

GOOD NEWS FROM TONY BURKE: Secret Mark Symposium Papers At Press.

Background on the 2011 York Symposium on Secret Mark is here and here and links.

Interview with Joseph Cedar's father

PROF. HAYIM CEDAR—renowned geneticist and also father of Joseph Cedar, the director of Footnote—is interviewed by Nir Hasson in Haaretz:

The apple doesn't fall far from the Cedar tree

Prof. Haim Cedar explains his field of genetic research by means of terms used by the Talmud researchers portrayed in the Academy Award-nominated film made by his son, Joseph Cedar: text and footnotes.

Guess what? Prof. Cedar is nothing like Eliezer Shkolnik.

Excerpt:

Another important difference is that Cedar, like the younger scholar in “Footnote,” Uriel Shkolnik, invests great effort in bringing his research to the general public. In recent years he has been teaching a course in molecular biology for humanities students at Hebrew University. He is also currently participating in a university project designed to bring academia and the public closer, called “Professor in Slippers.” Furthermore, in his own home, Cedar hosts a not-for-credit course, entitled “Life’s Footnote.” In this lecture series he tries to explain his scientific work by means of terms used by the Talmud researchers in the film directed by his son: “text” and “footnotes.”

Background on Footnote is here with many links.

More commentary on the forgery trial verdicts

NINA BURLEIGH gives her take on the Israel forgery trial acquittal in the LA Times: Faith, forgery, science -- and the James Ossuary: The particulars of science matter little to zealots defending a creed. Excerpt:

Israeli prosecutors were badly underfunded (the nation has its eye on bigger problems than relic forgery), and its investigators never mounted the kind of international, follow-the-money detective work that would have bolstered their case by showing a pattern of criminality involving a number of lesser-known objects that were also part of the case — allegedly ancient lamps and Old Testament-era royal seal impressions that scientists said were fakes.

Prosecutors relied on a parade of archaeologists and other scholars. These men and women were accustomed to addressing respectful colleagues and students. They had no experience defending their conclusions against the highest-paid lawyers in Tel Aviv.

Like scholars and scientists everywhere, their work doesn't reach a level of precision that can withstand legal cross-examination. They acknowledge doubts. Their opinions don't always agree in the particulars, even when they arrive at a consensus.

And while the scientists for the state conducted their investigations and testified for free, the defense paid for-hire scientists, who were willing to say the objects at issue were entirely authentic.

Background here and here and links. And more from and in response to Nina Burleigh here and links.

Cracked.com on antiquities and a fake

CRACKED.COM: 6 Nobodies Who Stumbled Into World Changing Discoveries. Five major archaeological discoveries and one bogosity. On the Dead Sea Scrolls:

To this day, the goat herders who found the things probably still think the guy who bought them was a sucker for forking over 30 bucks.

Actually, they figured thirty bucks was thirty bucks, so they went back to the site and found more caves with more scrolls and then cashed in bigtime.

On the fake metal codices:

Oh, and then there are some scholars who think that the real reason we can't translate them is because they are bulls**t forgeries written by someone who didn't understand much about the language they were trying to imitate. But as usual, we are reserving hope that there's a little bit of Indiana Jones magic in this world. In the meantime, we're heading to the Middle East, and we're bringing our cave-diving equipment.

Yeah, good luck with that.

Very amusing piece that also covers Pompeii, the Venus de Milo, Otzi, and the recovery of Aeschylus's Achilles stuffed in a mummy. But, as usual with Cracked, if you are easily offended by crudities, you may wish to skip it.

(HT The Jordan Lead Codices are fake FB page.)

Review of Stone, Ancient Judaism: New Visions and Views

BMCR REVIEW:

Bryn Mawr Classical Review 2012.03.38
M. E. Stone, Ancient Judaism: New Visions and Views. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2011. Pp. xiv, 242. ISBN 9780802866363. $30.00.

Reviewed by Juan Carlos Ossandón, Pontificia Università della Santa Croce (ossandon@pusc.it)

Preview

In the field of ancient Jewish literature, few authors can display such an impressive list of publications as Michael Edward Stone.1 Despite the title his latest book is not an overall presentation of Second Temple Judaism but rather a collection of specialized studies, with some relationship to each other. Most of its seven chapters deal with aspects that Professor Stone has addressed previously and to which he returns with “new visions and views” written in dialogue with the latest research. Accordingly, the bibliography is extensively updated and the book contains unpublished material, with the exception of chapter 4.

[...]

DSS/OT postdoc at the University of Agder, Norway

JOB: Post-doctoral Research Fellow at the University og Agder, Faculty of Humanities and Education Ref. 18/12.

The postdoctoral position is a part of a four-year project, jointly sponsored by UiA and the Norwegian Research Council, entitled “Biblical’ Texts Older than the Bible” (the project description may be obtained by contacting arstein.justnes@uia.no). Examples of thematic fields relevant for the project include the interplay between so-called ”authoritative” writings, other texts and the social context in the second temple period, ”biblical” diversity in the second temple period (different recensions and reworked ”scripture”), or use of new/material philology in text editions of and interpretation of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Other desiderata in Qumran research with relevance for the project will also be considered.

This is a three-year full-time post and the application deadline is 25 April. Background on the project is noted here.

New book: Golb Festschrift

AWOL: New Book from the Oriental Institute: Pesher Nahum: Texts and Studies in Jewish History and Literature from Antiquity through the Middle Ages Presented to Norman (Nahum) Golb.

New book: Goodacre, Thomas and the Gospels

MARK GOODACRE has a new book out forthcoming, which is noted and briefly reviewed by Larry Hurtado: Gospel of Thomas and the Synoptic Gospels.

Another Joseph Cedar interview

THE REVIEWS OF FOOTNOTE keep pouring in, and I'm no longer going to try to note them all. But I will try to mention reviews etc. that have something new to say. This interview with Joseph Cedar shows that he has quite an insightful grasp of the academic world: Footnore director can't ignore success (Toronto Sun). Excerpt:

"In a way, Talmudic scholars are like some film crew," Cedar said in an interview during the Toronto International Film Festival. "They devote their lives in an obsessive way to something that no one will ever notice as theirs, and that requires an expertise that is narrow and specific.

"And that's their pride, the narrowness of it. There's an integrity to that, which I don't have."

Background here and links.

New book on the Book of Revelation

ETC: New Book: Die Johannesoffenbarung: Ihr Text und ihre Auslegung. Follow the link for details.

This one won't get the same attention as Revelations by Elaine Pagels. But it's this sort of work that makes her more synthetic research possible.

Elaine Pagels meets Buffy

ELAINE PAGELS'S REVELATIONS receives an enthusiastic review by Dwight Garner in the NYT: Into the Apocalypse With an Unruffled Tour Guide. How unruffled?

The cool authority of Ms. Pagels’s voice serves her almost too well in her new volume, “Revelations: Visions, Prophecy, and Politics in the Book of Revelation.” She surveys this most savage and peculiar book of the New Testament — an ancient text that is nonetheless, as the novelist Will Self has put it, “the stuff of modern, psychotic nightmares” — as if she were touring the contents of an English garden. She’s as unruffled as the heroine of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” who declared in one of that excellent television show’s best episodes, “If the apocalypse comes, beep me.”

Background here and links.

Greatest archaeological finds in Israel

TODD BOLEN blogs on a recent article on Greatest Archaeological Finds in Israel. I've been meaning to get to it ever since the article came up on Joseph Lauer's list, but now I'll just refer you to Todd's discussion.

Jesus Discovery/Talpiot (Talpiyot) tombs latest

JAMES MCGRATH: The Talpiot Tomb Jumps the Tropical Fish.

Background here and links.

Review of Kampen, Wisdom Literature

BOOK REVIEW:

John Kampen. Wisdom Literature. Grand Rapids: W.B. Eerdmans Pub. Co., 2010. xiii + 390 pp. $36.00 (paper), ISBN 978-0-8028-4384-5.

Reviewed by Matthew Goff (The Florida State University)
Published on H-Judaic (March, 2012)
Commissioned by Jason Kalman

A Sage Study
John Kampen, a senior scholar who teaches at Methodist Theological School in Ohio, has written the first commentary on the wisdom literature of the Dead Sea Scrolls. As such, this is an important book that will prove very useful to scholars and students who work on the subject.

[...]

This is the second published volume in the Eerdmans Commentaries on the Dead Sea Scrolls series. The first was my volume, Liturgical Works, published back in 2001. I am delighted that another volume is finally out.

JSS current issue

THE JOURNAL OF SEMITIC STUDIES has a few articles of interest in its current issue (57.1, Spring 2012):

Yoo-Ki Kim

The Origin of the Biblical Hebrew Infinitive Construct
J Semitic Studies (Spring 2012) 57(1): 25-35 doi:10.1093/jss/fgr031

Grammarians have long assumed that the Biblical Hebrew inf. cst. has an origin different from that of the inf. abs. They generally suppose that the inf. cst. has come down from the same origin as the imperative and imperfect, while seeking the origin of the inf. abs. in a verbal noun. This article looks into this traditional hypothesis held by most scholars along with the alternative hypothesis that posits shared origin of the inf. cst. and inf. abs. For internal evidence, it will concentrate on morphological features of the Biblical Hebrew inf. cst., while examining other Semitic infinitives for comparative evidence. Based on these examinations, I will show that Hebrew originally knew only one infinitive and that the inf. cst. is an innovation through conditioned phonological change and subsequent analogy.

Zeyad Al-Salameen and
Hani Falahat

Two New Nabataean Inscriptions from Wādī Mūsā, with Discussion of Gaia and the Marzēaḥ
J Semitic Studies (Spring 2012) 57(1): 37-51 doi:10.1093/jss/fgr032

This paper presents two new Nabataean inscriptions, which have come to light from Wādī Mūsā near Petra. They were found accidentally in September 2009 by the writers of the article. Both mention the ancient Nabataean name of Wādī Mūsā and one of them refers to the existence of a rb mrzḥ', ‘Head of the Symposium’, there during the Nabataean period. The texts may be considered an important addition to the small gazetteer of Nabataean remains in Wādī Mūsā, whose most important Nabataean remains are hidden beneath the modern village.
Select this article

J.N. Ford and
Dan Levene

‘For Aḥata-de-'abuh daughter of Imma’, Two Aramaic Incantation Bowls in the Vorderasiatisches Museum, Berlin (VA 2414 and VA 2426)
J Semitic Studies (Spring 2012) 57(1): 53-67 doi:10.1093/jss/fgr033

This article comprises a new edition of two incantation bowls in the Vorderasiatisches Museum, Berlin originally published by J. Wohlstein in 1894. The bowls were written for the same client and appear to have originally been bound together. Both are directed against various types of malevolent forces, but each formula is otherwise distinct. The bowls contain a number of non-standard phonetic spellings, including אתאדאבה for אחתאדבוה ‘A.ata-de-'abuh’, ארדי for ערדי ‘wild asses’, בסי for בסים ‘savoury’, שקוה for שבקוה ‘leave her alone’, and ודלאת for ודלא את ‘and that are not’. Both elements of the phrase זיפו ואזיפו ‘be exorcized and rebuked’ appear to derive from the root זו″ף / זע″ף ‘to be angry; to threaten, rebuke’. VA 2414 is remarkable in that the demon is told to leave the client in favour of the flesh and blood of gazelles and wild asses and, surprisingly, flesh-eating maggots.

UPDATE: There are some relevant reviews too, so be sure and have a look at them. James McGrath notes one on a book on Neo-Mandaic here.

Join Bnay Beth Mardutho

FOR YOU, SPECIAL DEAL: Join Bnay Beth Mardutho. And get free stuff! Well, free-ish.

Did Jesus exist?

BART D. EHRMAN: Did Jesus Exist? (Huffington Post). The short answer is yes. The long answer is still yes, but it takes up not only this whole essay, but also Professor Ehrman's new book with the same title.

Talpiot Tombs update

CHRISTOPHER ROLLSTON AT THE ASOR BLOG: PHILOLOGY, ‘MARA,’ AND THE ‘JESUS DISCOVERY’ BOOK AND DOCUMENTARY. Mara need not be female.

Background to the Talpiot (Talpiyot) Tombs discussion here and many links.

New book on Oxyrhynchus Papyri

NEW BOOK (noted by G.W. Schwendner at What's New in Papyrology): L.H. Blumell, Lettered Christians : Christians, letters, and late antique Oxyrhynchus.

DSS coming to Philadelphia

THE DEAD SEA SCROLLS EXHIBITION coming in May to Philadelphia is noted by the Philadelphia Inquirer: Franklin Institute exhibit to feature fragments of Dead Sea Scrolls. Those controversial Talpiot (Talpiyot) Tomb ossuaries are also part of the exhibition and receive their share and more of attention in the article, but at least with a properly critical context for the theories about them.

Background on the exhibition is here and links. Background on the Talpiot tombs is here with numerous links.

Another Footnote review

FOOTNOTE is reviewed in Vogue: Middle Eastern Follies: Salmon Fishing in the Yemen and Footnote (John Powers). Excerpt:

If you asked me to dream up the unsexiest-sounding movie plot imaginable, I’d be hard-pressed to top the one in Footnote—it’s about the oedipal rivalry between two Talmudic scholars at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Sounds dreary, right? Wrong. The crack Israeli filmmaker Joseph Cedar (Beaufort) has taken a subject that sounds dauntingly arcane and turned it into a rich, smart, extremely funny tragicomedy about fathers and sons, morality and selfishness, the old Israel and the new.

(HT Dorothy Lobel King.)

Background and many more reviews here and links.

New book: Pentateuchal Traditions in the Late Second Temple Period

NEW BOOK:

Pentateuchal Traditions in the Late Second Temple Period
Proceedings of the International Workshop in Tokyo, August 28-31, 2007
Ed. Akio Moriya and Gohei Hata (Brill)

The main theme of the collected essays is expressed clearly in the following statement by Eugene Ulrich in the beginning of his article: What was the state of the Pentateuch during the Second Temple period? Was it basically complete and static at the time of Ezra, or was it still developing in substantial ways? To pursue this main theme, the International Workshop on the Study of the Pentateuch with special emphasis on textual transmission history in the Hellenistic and Roman period was held on August 28-31, 2007 in Tokyo. Fifteen papers were read and discussed enthusiastically in the workshop, and they were later revised based on the discussion for this volume. Those who are interested in the Dead Sea Scrolls will find the recent scholarly trend in this volume.

(HT Christopher Rollston on FB.)

Congratulations to Elaine Pagels

LET ME ADD MY CONGRATULATIONS to those of Robert Cargill: Congrats to Elaine Pagels: NY Times Hardcover Nonfiction Bestsellers List. She has made the number 10 spot.

Background on her new book, Revelations, is here and links.

USA Today on Israel Forgery Trial

THE ISRAEL FORGERY TRIAL VERDICT is covered by Dan Vergano at USA Today: 'James ossuary' verdict adds to burial box furor.

Includes a brief review of the background, a summary of the current issues, and an interviewlet with Jody Magness—who is skeptical of any connection of the James Ossuary with James the brother of Jesus.

Not Footnote, but ...

ANOTHER DRAMA INVOLVING THE ACADEMIC STUDY OF THE TALMUD, only this one is in real life:

New Bar-Ilan Talmud program was not approved, says Israeli higher education body

Council for Higher Education in Israel orders Bar-Ilan University to stop registering students for its graduate Talmud program.

By Talila Nesher (Haaretz)
Tags: Jewish World Israel education

The Council for Higher Education in Israel has ordered Bar-Ilan University to stop registering students for its graduate Talmud program, saying the university did not seek the necessary approval before opening the new program.

The university says the program, which was launched in its current format at the beginning of this academic year, is not actually new and is just being branded in a new way. But approval from the higher education council is still required for major changes, like shortening the Talmud curriculum so that students have class just one day a week for one year.

[...]

Bar-Ilan University's spokesman Haim Zisovitch told Haaretz: "Bar-Ilan University completely rejects the position of the Council for Higher Education. The only difference is that three classes are now available online. It's unfortunate that the council chose to ignore the university's detailed explanations. It is also strange that the council's letter was leaked to the press before the discussion in the council's plenum was completed."

Another Footnote review

FOOTNOTE is still getting a lot of reviews. This one is from HollywoodChicago.com:

‘Footnote’ Deserves Prominence as Great Storytelling

Submitted by PatrickMcD on March 16, 2012 - 4:55pm.

HollywoodChicago.com Oscarman rating: 4.5/5.0
Rating: 4.5/5.0

CHICAGO – Answering the question, “Where are all the great film thrillers about Talumdic Studies?,” the awesome film “Footnote” considers that very subject, pitting the always complicated relationship between a father and son against an treasured academic prize. Even though it sounds starchy, it actually had more verve than most spy movies.

[...]

Background here and links.

Footnote director interviewed again

JOSEPH CEDAR is interviewed about his film Footnote by Angela Dawson for The Examiner: Cedar's Film is More Than a 'Footnote' to the Talmud. Excerpt:

Q: These men are caught up in their academic study, which threatens their personal relationship. Are you saying they may be devoting his life to something that is ultimately irrelevant?

Joseph Cedar: No. I’m saying the opposite. I completely identify with (both the characters). There’s nothing more that matters than the tiniest nuance of language, or it matters as much as anything grand. I can understand that something esoteric and tiny can have a personal magnitude that is equal to the most largest scale conflict in the world.

Q: Is it worth devoting your entire life to it?

Cedar: It’s not only worth it, but also satisfying. It’s easier to devote your life to something controllable and focused, rather than devoting your life to something you know you’ll never really capture or obtain. The father character is really threatened by the big picture. The tiny fragments that he is able to separate from the larger picture gives him a sense that he has some control over the world he lives in.

Background here and links.

Online journal on Classical and Byzantine studies

AWOL: Open Access Journal: Greek, Roman, and Byzantine Studies.

GRBS is a peer-reviewed quarterly journal devoted to the culture and history of Greece from Antiquity to the Renaissance, featuring research on all aspects of the Hellenic world from prehistoric antiquity through the Greek, Roman, and Byzantine periods, including studies of modern classical scholarship.

The articles are mostly on Classical themes, but occasionally one deals with matters covered in PaleoJudaica. Here are some of interest from the last several years:

Vol 51, No 2 (2011)

A Mosaic of the Book of Daniel in the Ya῾amun Church
Nizar Turshan, Mohammad Nassar

Vol 51, No 1 (2011)

Divine Epiphanies of Paredroi in the Greek Magical Papyri
Eleni Pachoumi

Vol 50, No 4 (2010)

The Invention of Christian Tradition: “Apocrypha,” Imperial Policy, and Anti-Jewish Propaganda
Paul C. Dilley

The Magi: a Rare Mosaic Floor in the Ya῾amun Church (Jordan)
Nizar Turshan

Vol 50, No 1 (2010)

The Symposium of Philo’s Therapeutae: Displaying Jewish Identity in an Increasingly Roman World
Maren R. Niehoff

Vol 48, No 4 (2008)

Reading Ezekiel’s Exagoge: Tragedy, Sacrificial Ritual, and the Midrashic Tradition
Rachel Bryant Davies

Mysticism and the senses

JARED CALAWAY at Antiquitopia: God and the Senses (1): Acts of Thomas. All five senses are important in mystical visions; a point worthy of further exploration.

Pope Shenouda III, R.I.P.

SAD NEWS for Egyptian Copts: Egypt’s Coptic Pope Shenouda III dies at 88 years old (AP). He led them through many difficult times, not least during the past year.