The Biblical Archaeology Society website is carrying a paper by James Harrell, Professor of Archaeological Geology, with some of his arguments against the identification the ‘James Ossuary’ as a modern forgery. Harrell says that the Israeli Antiquities Authority…
…could well be correct that it is a modern forgery, but so far they have not provided convincing arguments for this view. I see my role in this debate as agitating for ‘good science’, including (1) an open-minded, balanced appraisal of the data bearing on the problem, and (2) rational, intelligently reasoned arguments.
Some hard geology in there, but also some interesting questions (although the full story I think still argues for forgery). Interestingly, Harrell has debated against Robert Schoch’s identification of the Sphinx water-weathering – for a number of essays and responses on that topic check out the Giza: The Truth discussion site.
