Israel Charges 'Jesus Box' Relics Ring With Fraud

Kulapavana · December 29, 2004

Published: December 29, 2004 Author:

Wed Dec 29, 2004 12:40 PM ET

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli prosecutors charged four antiquities dealers on Wednesday with forging a slew of biblical artifacts including a "Jesus box" that had been claimed as proof of Christianity's origins.

"Had they pulled off this fraud, they would have succeeded in changing the history of the Jewish and Christian people," said Israeli police spokesman Gil Kleiman.

The indictment said Oded Golan, Robert Deutsch, Shlomo Cohen and Faiz al-Amaleh added inscriptions to real antiquities which would link them to major biblical events or persons, commanding greater prices from collectors and fooling scholars.

The most notorious case was an ossuary, or ancient burial box, purported to contain the bones of Jesus' brother James.

Scholars had speculated that the find, bought by an Israeli collector in the 1970s, could be the earliest reference to Jesus.

But Israel's Antiquities Authority last year declared that the inscription on the box -- "James, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus" -- had been faked.

Also cited in the charges was an ivory pomegranate which the Israel Museum bought for $500,000, believing it to be the only relic of King Solomon's Jewish Temple based on the inscription: "Belonging to the Temple of the Lord (Yahweh), holy to the priests."

But the museum said this month that experts had determined the artifact in fact predated Solomon by as much as six centuries and had nothing to do with the holy shrine.

"This was a multimillion-dollar crime ring, and the suspects can expect to serve many years in prison if convicted," Kleiman said.

The four were not immediately available for comment.

The 27-page indictment contains 18 counts, including fraud, attempted fraud and obstruction of justice.

Kleiman said they were expected to enter pleas when they appear at Jerusalem Magistrate's Court on a date to be set.