On march 14, jerusalem judge aharon farkash found defendants oded golan and robert deutsch not guilty of all charges of forgery. Oded golan speaks out on forgery trial verdict biblical. Mar 14, 2012 golan claimed to have bought the ossuary from a dealer in the 1970s, only realizing its importance three decades later. A true tale of faith, greed and forgery in the holy land. The dark gray sandstone tablet is rectangular about one foot by two. Oct 18, 20 the forgery case against oded golan has been concluded with the courts rejection of the israel antiquities authoritys claim of ownership of the jehoash inscription. See the complete profile on linkedin and discover odeds connections and jobs at similar companies. Jun 22, 2019 the ossuary of james was the archaeological find that triggered the most sensational cover up of the 21st century. It has been declared a forgery, and he is under arrest. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading unholy business. However, archaeologists at the israel antiquities authority have declared the ossuary to be a forgery. Israeli antiquities collector oden golan is the target of an intensive investigation by the israel antiquities authority iaa regarding a series of highend artifacts.
She cited an interview she conducted for her book with tel aviv. Oded golan member of the board of directors holmes place. Oct 30, 2008 but the owner of the ossuary, israeli engineer and collector oded golan, was arrested by israeli police in 2003, and then charged a year later along with four others on 18 counts of forgery, fraud. Collinssmithsonian, 288p in november 2002, the public display of an ossuary an ancient burial vessel inscribed james, the brother of jesus, sent ripples of excitement, doubt and. All acknowledge the box, or ossuary, is genuine and from the period when jesus lived. Mar 14, 2012 while all of the major charges were dismissed on grounds of lack of evidence of forgery, others were dropped due to the statute of limitations. Apr 15, 2009 this is the second of a threepart excerpt from burleighs new book unholy business. Israeli antiquities collector talks about his trial and his acquittal. Oded golan an israeli collector accused of antiquities fraud in a complex trial that lasted seven years was acquitted on wednesday, it has just been announced by the times of israel. One individual, oded golan first presented the inscription to the world and is the current owner of the bone box. Jan 31, 2017 the saga of the james ossuary culminated in 2012 with the acquittal of israeli antiquities collector and owner of the ossuary oded golan in a sevenyear forgery trial of the century, but the story isnt over yet. The viewer is treated to a revealing display of how the forgery machine worked.
He was charged with 44 separate crimes including fraud, forgery and deception. Robert deutsch, an inscriptions expert who teaches at haifa university. Avm runestone a student prank that was believed to be an ancient norse runestone. James, brother of jesus ossuary adds fuel to historical. A true tale of faith, greed and forgery in the holy land nina burleigh. Is the brother of jesus inscription on the james ossuary a. The jewish collector who possessed the ossuary oded golan had not recognize its value, said lemaire, because to him, jesus was known as the son of god, so he had no brother, an unusual attitude for a jew. In 2003, the charge that the inscription was a fake was lodged by the israel antiquities authority. Today, my privately owned collection of biblical antiquities is perhaps the largest and most. Oded golan member of the board of directors holmes. Oded golan, an israeli antiquities collector, is a.
One artist in particular is heard on tape discussing the manufacture of bullae with our star, oded golan. May 24, 2018 1 oded golan, the authenticity of the james ossuary and the jehoash tablet inscriptions summary of expert trial witnesses, march, 2011, 1. In december 2004, oded golan was charged with 44 counts of forgery, fraud and deception, including forgery of the ossuary inscription. He owns one of the largest collections of biblical archaeology in the world. Golan claimed to have bought the ossuary from a dealer in the 1970s, only realizing its importance three decades later. Oct 21, 2008 she wryly profiles oded golan, the man responsible for the fraudulent ossuary, and amir ganor, the israel antiquities authority investigator who broke the case, as well as a motley crew of scholars, tomb looters, dealers, true believers, and antiquities forgers. The title of this onesided broadcast was the hunt for oded golan and its topic was the forgery of antiquities. Nina burleigh in 2002, an ancient limestone box called the james ossuary was trumpeted on front pages as the first material evidence of the existence of jesus christ. Oded golan, 58, has been on trial at the district court in jerusalem for the past four years, charged with forging an inscription on a romanera burial box or ossuary that says it contained the. Although not an unexpected verdict, this is a stunning reversal for the prosecution and i am sure many collectors will be happy for their fellow collectors accused of being archforgers who falsified history for. Every day, oded golan and thousands of other voices read, write, and share important stories on.
And, recently, as is wellknown, the book the da vinci code, by dan brown that has been made into a movie by the same name, has suggested that jesus did have a more. Is the brother of jesus inscription on the james ossuary. This included articles in the new yorker and archaeology magazine, a segment on 60 minutes and stories in most major newspapers around the world, as well as countless blog and internet postsall concluding that oded golan had was part of an extended forgery ring and there was conclusive physical evidence that the james ossuary inscription was. The ossuary of james was the archaeological find that triggered the most sensational cover up of the 21st century. However, golan was found guilty of trading in antiquities without a permit and another minor charge.
You can read part 1, was christianity all a mistake. Mar 25, 2012 but israeli authorities, who eventually found what appeared to be a forgery workshop in the apartment of the boxs owner, tel aviv industrial designer and antiquities collector oded golan. The james ossuary is a 1stcentury limestone box that was used for containing the bones of the dead. The trial lasted seven years before judge aharon farkash came to a verdict. She wryly profiles oded golan, the man responsible for the fraudulent ossuary, and amir ganor, the israel antiquities authority investigator who broke the case, as well as a motley crew of scholars, tomb looters, dealers, true believers, and antiquities forgers. The indictment alleges that oded golan, a major israeli collector and dealer, was the leader of a forgery ring that operated for more than two. The artist learned his trade in egypt and knows no other. Biblical relic dealer acquitted in forgery trial, sparking controversy.
One of the earliest and most important discoveries relating to the historicity of jesus and members of his family is the limestone bonebox called an ossuary made known to the public in october, 2002. The trial was brought to an end on march 14, 2012, when jerusalem district court judge, aharon farkash, cleared the defendants oded golan, robert deutsch, et al. Oded golan, an antique collector, was charged in 2004 with faking the ossuary and other archaeological artifacts. May 23, 2014 oded golan agreed to hand over the tablet as part of a written agreement with the jerusalem district attorney, but was then arrested and charged with forging it and other antiquities, including a stone burial box with the inscription james, son of joseph, brother of jesus. Although antiquities collector oded golan was cleared of forgery charges, the authenticity of the jehoash tablet remains undecided. Whats what regarding the controversial james ossuary. Golan was accused by the israel antiquities authority iaa of involvement in the forgery of one half of the james ossuary inscription, the jehoash inscription and other items. The socalled jehoash inscription, which purports to record repairs to the temple by the ninthcentury b.
But israeli authorities, who eventually found what appeared to be a forgery workshop in the apartment of the boxs owner, tel aviv industrial designer and antiquities collector oded golan. Oded golan after searching through 35 year old memories belatedly recalled that the dealer who sold him the ossuary had told him that it had been unearthed from a cave in the silwan area. Golan is the collector behind such artifacts as the jehoash inscription, a tablet describing repairs to the temple of solomon in the reign of king jehoash and, in 2002, the infamous james ossuary. But the owner of the ossuary, israeli engineer and collector oded golan, was arrested by israeli police in 2003, and then charged a year later along. The problem is, at this time, oded golan is being tried on charges of fraud and forgery in israel. From the first charges of forgery in 2002 to the absolute silence of the media at the end of the trial in 20 attesting its authenticity, the modern story of the first archaeological evidence of the existence of the master of nazareth and his flesh brothers, as taught in the gospels. Unholy business and millions of other books are available for amazon kindle. Golan and four other coconspirators, including robert deutsch, one of israels leading antiquities dealer, were indicted on 44 charges of forgery and antiquities trafficking, not only of the james ossuary, but another inscribed artifact that had appeared on the black market in january of that year. Nov 04, 2008 forgery of antiquities is big business. Oded golan, chief defendant in the socalled forgery case of the century, was acquitted of all forgery charges wednesday, more specifically of forging an inscription reading james, son of joseph, brother of jesus written on a firstcentury c. Jun 12, 2009 oded golan, 58, has been on trial at the district court in jerusalem for the past four years, charged with forging an inscription on a romanera burial box or ossuary that says it contained the. Oded golan agreed to hand over the tablet as part of a written agreement with the jerusalem district attorney, but was then arrested and charged with forging it and other antiquities, including a stone burial box with the inscription james, son of joseph, brother of jesus. He was accused of faking the james ossuary and other items in. Mar 14, 2012 on march 14, jerusalem judge aharon farkash found defendants oded golan and robert deutsch not guilty of all charges of forgery.
The judge in the golan case, judge aharon farkash, is expected to submit his ruling in a few months. Last year we saw the trial of oded golan and others on the charge that they had forged the inscription on. There actually has been such an item offered for sale by millionaire israeli antiquities expertdealer oded golan in 2002. In 2012, the court acquitted golan of all charges of forgery and fraud, but convicted of illegal trading in antiquities. An aramaic inscription in the hebrew alphabet meaning james, son of joseph, brother of jesus is cut into one side of the box. Golan denied any involvement in forgery, and argued that he purchased the two items from licensed antiquities dealers in 1976 and 1999 respectively, and to the best of his understanding, the inscriptions are ancient. Following golans arrest, a panel of experts appointed by the israel antiquities authority declared the jehoash tablet and the james ossuary fakes. Jun 12, 2012 a criminal indictment issued in december 2004 placed golan at the center of a sophisticated international forgery ring.
We are taken from when the items were invented and planned through the final production by an artist. On december 29, 2004, golan was indicted in an israeli court along with three other men. Oded golan went to prison for his involvement in forging both the jehoash inscription and the james ossuary. A criminal indictment issued in december 2004 placed golan at the center of a sophisticated international forgery ring. Ossuaries were used by israel from about the secondcentury b. The sale and purchase of antiquities is a legal pursuit in israel and collecting antiquities has been my hobby for over 40 years. A reporter at large about the possible forgery of the james ossuary and other biblical antiquities.
Jul 22, 2018 the saga of the james ossuary culminated in 2012 with the acquittal of israeli antiquities collector and owner of the ossuary oded golan in a sevenyear forgery trial of the century, but the story isnt over yet. Avner ayalon, orna cohen, i dont understand how or why the jerusalem judicial system let oded golan off the hook with. According to the bbc, when the police took oded golan into custody and searched his apartment they discovered a workshop with a range of tools, materials, and half finished antiquities. The forgery case against oded golan has been concluded with the courts rejection of the israel antiquities authoritys claim of ownership of the jehoash inscription.
According to biblical archaeology, no experts maintain the box is a fake. Three weeks ago, antiquities collector oded golan was acquitted, on. The relic was a media sensation, but archaeologists started raising alarm bells. At the end of 2004, antiquities collector oded golan was put on trial. A true tale of faith, greed and forgery in the holy landnina burleigh. Geological survey of israel courtesy of biblical archaeology. Jun 25, 2019 in 2003, the charge that the inscription was a fake was lodged by the israel antiquities authority. A true tale of faith, greed and forgery in the holy land kindle edition by burleigh, nina. Biblical relic dealer acquitted in forgery trial, sparking. The inscription on an ancient ossuary put this question to the test. The saga of the james ossuary culminated in 2012 with the acquittal of israeli antiquities collector and owner of the ossuary oded golan in a sevenyear. Nonetheless, the collector had kept the box safe through thirty five turbulent years of.
Oct 06, 2010 however, archaeologists at the israel antiquities authority have declared the ossuary to be a forgery. Experts have concluded that both are very cleaver forgeries. Matthew kalman has covered the case for nearly a decade and he reports on the 21 decision by an appeal panel of israels supreme court. The inscription is considered significant because, if genuine, it might provide archaeological evidence for jesus of nazareth. Oded golan is a controversial figure, an israeli engineer, a former army officer in the israel defence force, and a biblical antiquities dealer. Although he denies that he is the owner of the 15line, 9by11inch black plaque. He was arrested on 2003jul22 by israeli police and charged with forgery. The failure of a highprofile prosecution for antiquities fraud perpetuates the mystery of a find hailed as physical.
The jerusalem district court ruled today march 14 that oded golan could not. Himself israeli entrepreneur segment the stone box. Oded golan, the tel aviv collector accused of forging biblical artifacts, was at the center of a sevenyear trial that ended in his acquittal. This is the second of a threepart excerpt from burleighs new book unholy business. Golan and four others were indicted in december 2004 on multiple counts of forgery and. Archaeoraptor the supposed missing link between birds and tetrapod dinosaurs. A man suspected of forging biblical and early jewish relics in israel has been. Much interest was generated by this case, with several books written on the subject and several documentary.
Nov 17, 2008 in 2002, archaeologists claimed a box of ancient bones held the remains of jesus brother. The true tale of faith, greed and forgery in the holy. In the introduction to my book titled a tale of two tombs i explore the question of. There were immediately doubts about the authenticity of the tablet, and two committees of experts set up by the iaa confirmed the suspicions, concluding that the inscription was indeed a forgery. View oded golans profile on linkedin, the worlds largest professional community. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Oded golan and robert deutsch acquitted paul barford. The judge stated that there is no evidence that any of the major artifacts were forged, and that the prosecution failed to prove their accusations beyond a reasonable doubt. Israel indicts 4 in brother of jesus hoax and other forgeries the. Judahite king jehoash, as described in 2 kings 12 and 2 chronicles 24, has also been condemned as a modern forgery not only by the iaa committee, but by leading paleographers and linguists, as previously reported in bar.
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