The Bible Museum says 5 of its most famous artifacts are fake: NPR

The Bible Museum said Monday that five of its 16 famous fragments of Dead Sea Scrolls are fake.

A team of German experts badyzed the privately funded museum fragments in Washington, DC, and discovered that they had "characteristics that are incompatible with their ancient origins". Fragments will no longer be exhibited at the museum.

"Although we hoped that the tests would produce different results, it is an opportunity to educate the public on the importance of verifying the authenticity of rare biblical artifacts, the process test and our commitment to transparency, "said Jeffrey Kloha, Senior Curator. museum officer, said in a press release.

Ancient Hebrew manuscripts have always been a source of fascination and debate.

The fragments of the Dead Sea Scrolls were on display since the official opening of the museum in November 2017. Questions about the authenticity of these fragments were raised two years ago by museum-funded specialists in the museum. a scientific publication.

One of these researchers, Kipp Davis of Trinity Western University, examined the quality of reading, the technique of writing and the state of the manuscript fragments. He wrote in October 2017 that his studies confirm "the high probability" that at least seven fragments of the museum's Dead Sea Scroll collection are fake, "but the conclusions about the status of the remaining fragments are still to come up".

In April 2017, the museum sent five fragments to the German-based Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und-Prüfung (BAM) for a series of tests, including 3D digital microscopy, scanning X-ray fluorescence and spectroscopic badysis. ink dispersive X-rays, sediment layers and chemical makeup.

The BAM report raised new suspicions about the authenticity of the five fragments tested, the museum said.

The museum will replace the five fragments of the exhibition by three others that will be the subject of further study.

"The exhibition labels will continue to inform visitors that questions have been raised about the authenticity of these fragments and that further research will be conducted," the museum said.

Much of the Bible Museum was funded by the Green family, owner of the Hobby Lobby Inc. chain of craft stores in Oklahoma. In a lawsuit for infringement of religion that culminated in the Supreme Court in 2014, Hobby Lobby was exempted from the obligation to cover the costs of contraceptives in its health plans.

Through Hobby Lobby, billionaire Steve Green and his family have badembled a private collection of about 40,000 biblical artifacts and manuscripts. A large part of the Greens' collection is now in the museum.

Hobby Lobby was found guilty of violating federal law when it bought 5,500 items from merchants in the United Arab Emirates and Israel in 2010. These artifacts, originating in Iraq, were smuggled into the United States. In 2017, the Department of Justice entered into an agreement confiscating the objects and fined $ 3 million.