The Biblical Archaeology Society has an opinion piece from BAR editor Hershel Shanks concerning the ongoing antiquity forgery case against Oded Golan, discoverer of the so-called “James (Brother of Jesus) Ossuary” . Shanks raises some questions about the trial in his article:
This case has been called “the forgery trial of the century.” Why has it taken so long to try? Why is the government failing to call so many of the witnesses listed in the indictment? Are the items charged as forgeries in the indictment authentic or not? What, if anything, lies behind this case; why was it brought?
It’s certainly an interesting case, with no small amount of intrigue about the effect that religious backgrounds may have had on the charges (and eventual outcome). You can read more about the details on the Wikipedia entry for the James Ossuary.
