Embedded Files
THE JORDAN TIMES, Dec 1
AMMAN – Held as one of the most important discoveries in archaeological history, yet contested as "modern forgeries", codices discovered in Jordan almost a decade ago have been proven authentic by British experts.
In a statement e-mailed to The Jordan Times, the Ion Beam Centre (IBC), based at the University of Surrey, UK, and supported by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, on November 30 published new evidence of the authenticity of the country's Lead Codices.
Comprising upwards of 70 ring-bound books made entirely of lead, the codices were found in a remote valley in northern Jordan between 2005-2007, with evidence to suggest that they date back to the 1st or 2nd century AD. Linguistic analysts have claimed that they are the only Hebrew-Christian documents, challenging the significance of the Dead Sea Scrolls discovered mid-century in the caves of Jordan Valley.
A codex, forming part of the Lead Codices collection, was on official loan to the IBC for study from the Department of Antiquities. Director of the IBS, Prof. Roger Webb, and Senior Liaison Fellow, Prof. Chris Jeynes, have reported that the codex did not demonstrate the radioactivity arising from atmospheric polonium that is typical of modern lead samples, indicating that the lead of the codex was smelted over a century ago, and is not a product of modern-day manufacturing.
A further report by independent analyst Matthew Hood, an examiner of the erosion of the codices since 2009, has claimed that the “visible formation of mineral crystals as the metal reverts to organic compounds provides strong evidence of the great age of some of these artifacts”.
"The suspicion of forgery, sown by the bloggers and a rashly published note in the Times Literary Supplement in 2011, has been disproved by several independent scientific tests of the metal as well as yet unpublished expert study of the writing. No one of those actually involved with research on the codices has any doubt about their antiquity," the statement said.
The Copper Scroll (3Q15) is a unique, 2,000-year-old archaeological artifact from Qumran (1952) that lists 64 hidden locations of massive gold and silver treasures. Unlike the other Dead Sea Scrolls, it is written on copper sheets in a mixture of Hebrew and Greek.
Key Details of the Copper Scroll
Discovery: Found in 1952, this is the only metal scroll among the Dead Sea Scrolls.
Contents: It serves as a, perhaps literal, treasure map, listing 64 locations, specifically citing "cubits" and "talents" of precious metals.
Material: It is composed of hammered copper sheets, designed for long-term preservation.
Dating: The script is generally dated to around the 1st Century AD, with some scholars suggesting just before 70 AD.
Mystery: The locations are vague (e.g., "in the cistern by the steps"), and none of the treasures have been officially located.
Common Misconceptions & Related Items
Not a "Codex": The item is a scroll, typically referred to as the Copper Scroll, not a codex (a bound book).
Jordan Copper Scrolls: Some studies regarding supposed Jordan Copper Codices (similar in material, but often considered forgeries) are discussed in.
Language: The language on the authentic Qumran copper scroll is a peculiar form of Hebrew, often with grammatical irregularities that differ from biblical Hebrew.
[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rt_6g0GHl40
[4] https://www.historyhit.com/the-copper-scroll-decoding-historys-most-elusive-treasure-map/
[5] https://www.instagram.com/p/DUTaj1klJLk/
[6] https://free.messianicbible.com/feature/copper-scrolls-temple-treasures/
[7] https://danielomcclellan.wordpress.com/tag/copper-codices/
[8] https://dornsife.usc.edu/wsrp/copper-scroll/
[9] https://creation.com/en/articles/lead-codices
The Copper Scroll (3Q15), found near Qumran in 1952, is a unique Dead Sea Scroll detailing 64 hidden, massive treasures of gold and silver. It is written in a late Hebrew dialect on copper sheets, rather than on leather or papyrus, and some researchers argue it maps the treasures of the Second Temple, possibly including the Ark of the Covenant.
Content: It is a, "treasure map", not a narrative text, listing immense amounts of silver and gold.
The "Tree" Symbolism: Some interpretations of the Scroll suggest the treasures are related to a "Celestial Tree of Knowledge" or cosmic, astronomical, and temple-based secrets, referencing a "sealed scroll".
Paleo-Hebrew/Script: The text is in a dialect closer to Mishnaic Hebrew and is not to be confused with the "codices" (metal booklets) discovered in Jordan, which are often discussed alongside this and have their own controversial,, "stylized palm tree" imagery.
Significance: No treasure has been found, but the
West Semitic Research Project
notes that the sheer volume of treasure described likely points to the Jerusalem Temple's wealth, hidden before a potential Roman invasion.
The Copper Scroll remains one of the most enigmatic of the Dead Sea Scrolls, as it is a literal treasure list, unlike the religious texts found in other caves.
[1] https://dornsife.usc.edu/wsrp/copper-scroll/
[2] https://free.messianicbible.com/feature/copper-scrolls-temple-treasures/
[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copper_Scroll
[4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copper_Scroll
[6] https://danielomcclellan.wordpress.com/tag/copper-codices/
[7] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fh3SKF3LPew
[8] https://www.amazon.com/Copper-Scroll-Bible-Celestial-Knowledge/dp/0995722544
[9] https://www.copper.org/publications/newsletters/discover/2007/summer/article1.html
[10] https://lan-portal.uob.edu.ly/goto/KINDLE/67G9867U54/the__dead_sea-scrolls__a__new-translation.pdf
[11] https://www.tiktok.com/@tristanancients/video/7588930969453792534
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse