Fascinating, but according to the few lab tests that were done on some of the artifacts, they are fake (Makor Rishon), the stuff looks fake and made by the same hand if very meticulously (an archaeologist I know who met the guy and saw the stuff), and it was not dug out of the ground in a proper process where you know which layer in the ground it came from, thus there is no evidence of its authenticity. What is the counterargument?
Fascinating, but according to the few lab tests that were done on some of the artifacts, they are fake (Makor Rishon), the stuff looks fake and made by the same hand if very meticulously (an archaeologist I know who met the guy and saw the stuff), and it was not dug out of the ground in a proper process where you know which layer in the ground it came from, thus there is no evidence of its authenticity. What is the counterargument?
I'd address my questions to Dr. Eshel; I'm not an archaeologist.
Fair enough. TBH I hoped to learn reasons to believe in the authenticity of this from you without asking him point blank why this stuff isn't fake.
Thank you for your work!
This was fascinating. I wonder what the motivation and social dynamics were to make Rabbi Akiva a part of the story.
Big discussion. Would love a follow up. Curious if he actually saw the Ark?