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This book includes a description of the Jehoash Inscription Tablet, the only written evidence that the First Temple existed; a new technique for authenticating ancient artifacts; a discussion of the James Ossuary, which might provide archaeological evidence for Jesus of Nazareth and indicate that the ossuary was that of James the Just, the older brother of Jesus.
List of contents
Chapter 1. Introduction
Chapter 2. Amnon Rosenfeld—In Memoriam (1944–2014)
Chapter 3. Archaeometric Analysis of the “Jehoash Inscription” Tablet
Chapter 4. The Jehoash Inscription Tablet—After the Verdict
Chapter 5. Archaeometric Evidence for the Authenticity of the Jehoash Inscription Tablet
Chapter 6. Environmental Dust as a Tool to Study the Archaeometry of Patinas on Ancient Artifacts
Chapter 7. A Stone Oil Lamp with Seven Nozzles from the Late Second Temple Period
Chapter 8. The Stone Oil Lamp with the Menorah—After the Verdict
Chapter 9. The Connection of the James Ossuary to the Talpiot (Jesus Family Tomb) Ossuaries
Chapter 10. On the Authenticity of the James Ossuary and its Possible Link to the Jesus Family Tomb
Chapter 11. Implications of the “Forgery Trial” Verdict on the Authenticity of the James Ossuary
Chapter 12. An Archaeometric Analysis of the “Miriam Ossuary”—Zissu and Goren, 2011
Chapter 13. Determining the Authenticity of Artifacts by Oxygen Isotope Analysis
Chapter 14. Some West African Brass Figurines of the ¬Jenne–Dogon Culture
Chapter 15: Further Research: Abstracts
Appendix: Original Publications and Contributing Authors
About the author
Howard R. Feldman is Fellow of the Geological Society of America, and Research Associate at the American Museum of Natural History and the Mohonk Preserve. He is a professor in the Biology Department of Touro College in New York City. His research deals with the geoarchaeology of Israel as well as evolution and depositional environments of brachiopods (marine invertebrates) along the southern margin of the Tethys Sea during the Mesozoic Era. He has received numerous grants for his work, has written three books and has over 170 publications.
Summary
This book includes an analysis of the Jehoash Inscription Tablet, which describes renovations made to the First Temple and is considered the only written evidence of its existence. At the same time, a new technique for authenticating artifacts is described: this is especially important in determining the authenticity of artifacts collected from unprovenanced sites. Other subjects treated in the book are: the only known stone oil lamp with שבעת המינים carved onto seven nozzles, which was archaeometrically analyzed to verify its authenticity, and is thought to have been used during the Second Temple Period in rituals that necessitated that laws of purity be followed; and the James Ossuary, displaying the Aramaic inscription Ya'akov bar-Yosef akhui diYeshua (James, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus), which, if genuine, might provide archaeological evidence for Jesus of Nazareth and indicate that the ossuary was that of James the Just, the older brother of Jesus.
