The Latest on the ‘Lead Codices’ from Jordan

The Jordan Times tells us

According to the Department of Antiquities (DoA), initial carbon tests to determine the authenticity of lead-sealed metal books billed as the greatest find in biblical archaeology since the Dead Sea scrolls have been “encouraging”.

“We really believe that we have evidence from this analysis to prove that these materials are authentic,” DoA Director Ziad Saad told The Jordan Times.

The tests, carried out at the Royal Scientific Society labs, indicate that the texts may date back to the early first century AD, at a time when Christians took refuge from persecution on the east bank of the Jordan River.

The codices, which were retrieved by Jordanian security services from the black market last month, are believed to be part of a greater cache of 70 lead-sealed books allegedly uncovered in Jordan and smuggled across the River Jordan into Israel.

The majority of the texts are currently in the possession of Hassan Saeda, an Israeli bedouin farmer who claims that the books, which may tell of the last days of Jesus Christ, were uncovered by his shepherd grandfather some 90 years ago.

I remain skeptical.  Without provenance, without context, how useful would these materials be even if ancient?  It’s not that I’m unwilling to be convinced; it’s that I’m unpersuaded given the lack of archaeological context.  If detailed information of the how, where, and when of the discovery were forthcoming, perhaps I’d change my mind.  But given that there are just so many frauds (both materially and humanly) out there, I’m unwilling to take anyone’s word for something.

Related articles

• Thoughts on the Jordan Lead Codices (via Daniel O. McClellan) (zwingliusredivivus.wordpress.com)
• Philip Davies Interviewed in the Sheffield Telegraph on the Lead Codices (zwingliusredivivus.wordpress.com)
• Philip Davies on Lead Codices (via Sheffield Biblical Studies) (zwingliusredivivus.wordpress.com)