Bible Museum admits to having fake scrolls

A Museum The United States announced the discovery of five fake pieces that were fragments of ancient manuscripts known as The rolls of the Dead Seaso that they are no longer exposed.

The Biblical Museum in Washington – which sparked controversy last year for being backed by an evangelical Christian millionaire – withdrew exhibits after a researcher from a German institution concluded that they were not so old.

"While we hoped that the analysis would lead to different results, it is an opportunity to show the public the importance of verifying the authenticity of the rare biblical pieces, the process of". analysis developed and our commitment to transparency, "he said. a statement by Jeffrey Kloha, chief curator of the museum.

The rolls of the Dead Sea, which include the oldest manuscripts known from the Hebrew Bible, dating back to the 3rd century before Christ to the I after Christ.

They are about 900, and they were discovered between 1947 and 1956 in the caves of Qumran on the Dead Sea.

The five fragments removed were on display since the museum's opening in November 2017, but they carried an explanation that there was a process of investigating their legitimacy.

In April of last year, the museum sent five of its 16 works from the Dead Sea Scrolls to Federal Institute of Materials (BAM) from Germany to analyze them, after previous studies that questioned its authenticity.

A researcher, Kipp Davis from Trinity Western University he had published an article saying that "At least seven fragments of the Dead Sea Scrolls collection are modern imitations."

The museum removed from the exhibition the five plays analyzed in Germany and replaced them with three others, which are also analyzed in depth.

The Bible Museum was surprised to write on its doors with Latin letters that its main financial support comes from the millionaire Steve Green, whose chain of arts and crafts Hobby Lobby has supported conservative causes.

jos