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The author relates his own conclusion about the discovered Secret Gospel of Mark which was allegedly forged by the late scholar Morton Smith. The author says that if Smith would be caught of forgery, he would be drummed out of the academy and his scholarly career would be forever destroyed. In the book "The Gospel Hoax: Morton Smith's Invention of Secret Mark," author Stephen Carlson discussed various flaws to the Secret Mark that expose the forgery including the salt anachronism.

The article discusses the alleged forgery committed by scholar Morton Smith in relation to his discovered Clement letter containing excerpts from the Secret Gospel of Mark. Senior scholars such as University of North Carolina professor Bart Ehrman and University of California professor Birger Pearson are concluding that the Clement letter is a forgery and that Smith is the forger. But there are some who are defending the authenticity of the Clement letter like University of Toronto's Scott Brown and University of Chicago's Jeff Jay.

Reports on the forgery hysteria allegedly consuming the archaeological circles in Israel. Implication of the controversy on the field of archaeology; Ancient materials that have been under suspicion of being the works of forgers; Basis used by some experts in declaring an archaeological find a forgery.

Focuses on rumors surrounding the bone box also called an ossuary. Conspiracy involved in forging the bone box; Inclusion of an honored Israeli archaeologists in the conspiracy; Awareness of Oded Golan, owner of the box, regarding the significance of the Aramaic inscription on box before it was read by Sorbonne paleographer Andre Lemaire; Jehoash plaque describing repairs to Solomon's Temple.

Presents a critique of the report of the committee formed by the Israel Antiquities Authority to decide whether the James ossuary inscription and the Yehoash inscription are authentic or forgeries. Choice of committee members; Committee's claim that the inscriptions are forgeries; Criticism of the identification of the ossuary as that of the New Testament James; Significance of the inscription in reflecting the diversity of Judaism at the close of the Second Temple period and in revealing the Jewish roots of Christianity. INSETS: 'WE HAD TO REACH A FIRM CONCLUSION'.;THE DEBATE CONTINUES..

The article provides information the illicit practice of counterfeiting or altering currency. Topics covered include the findings of studies of chemical makeup of buried silver hoards, how criminals changed the process of altering currency by turning to clipping, a process of cutting a small amount of coin off, and the amount of counterfeit U.S. dollar notes estimated by the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

The article discusses a report issued by the television program "60 Minutes" on the alleged forgery of artifacts including an ossuary inscribed with "James, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus," an ivory pomegranate scepter that may have originated from Solomon's Temple, and the Yehoash Inscription, aired on March 23, 2008. The author accuses the program of unethical and irresponsible reporting, after Semah Marco, the jewelry maker accused of making the forgeries, denied confessing to the forgery.

The article presents an answers to the question concerning the inscribed ivory pomegranate if it is a forgery, on why would the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) so keen to prove the inscription is a fake. There are alternative and overlapping explanations including the IAA's disdain for the antiquities market, the natural antipathy of some field archaeologist toward artifacts not recovered in a professional excavation and the common penchant of people trying to get out of a hole by digging themselves deeper.

Presents some unanswered questions regarding Israel Antiquities Authority's declaration of James ossuary inscription to be a forgery. Application of the inscription coating; Controversy on how the inscription coating was made; Presence of any ancient patina in the letters of the inscription beneath the inscription coating.

The article discusses the analysis by two Greek handwriting experts, Venetia Anastasopoulou and Agamemnon Tselikas, on the authenticity of the Clement letter discovered by the late Columbia University professor Morton Smith. It claims that several scholars have concluded that Smith forged the document, which contains two passages from a secret and different copy of the Gospel of Mark. Anastasopoulou concludes that Smith did not forge the document, while Tselikas hinted that the letter was forged.

The article reports on the conclusion of the testimonies in the so called "forgery trial of the century" that was heard at a courtroom in Jerusalem, Israel in February 2010. In the case, it was claimed that several of Israel's most famous archaeological relics are modern forgeries, such as the ossuary or bone box with an inscription "James, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus." According to Duke University professor Eric Meyers, roughly 30-40% of inscriptions in the Israel Museum are forgeries.

Information about important inscriptions that have been called modern forgeries is presented from the Jerusalem Forgery Conference held in Jerusalem, Israel during January 2007. The author reviews three major authentication cases that were reviewed at the conference including the ossuary inscribed "James, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus," the ivory pomegranate inscription "Belonging to the priests, the temple of Yahweh" and the Yehoash inscription documenting repairs to Solomon's Temple.

Identifies Dan Bahat, Lior Biringer, Arnold Spaer and Haggai Sitton as lawyers for the antiquities fraud case in Israel. Career profiles of the lawyers; Names of the people representing for the case; Views of the lawyers on the case.

Identifies the archaeological experts who were fooled by forgers. Career profiles; Articles contributed to magazines and journals on archaeology; Items named as forged by the experts.

Identifies the people responsible for arresting forgers in Israel. Career profiles; Description of their personalities; Identification of the archaeological items they thought are forged.

Reports on the forgery crisis facing Israeli archaeology. Estimated percentage of inscribed materials which have been forged; Items which are believed forgeries; Archaeologists involved in forgeries or identifying forgeries, including Emile Puech and Joe Zias.

Presents excerpts of a talk given by Israeli antiquities collector and accused forger Oded Golan at Cornerstone University in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Personal history; Development of interest in antiquities; Comments on charges that he forged an inscription on an ossuary in his collection.

Comments on the Israel Antiquities Authority's (IAA) handling of the case of antiquities forger Oded Golan. Golan's forgery of the inscription "James, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus" on a first century ossuary; Subjection of Golan to 'trial by leak'; Need for IAA to formally charge and try Golan.

Reports on the use of paleography to verify the authenticity of the inscription on a bone box known as the 'James Ossuary.' Leading paleographers' opinion on the inscription; Israel Antiquities Authorities' judgment that the inscription is a forgery; Indication that paleography may no longer be used to detect forgeries.

Recounts the author's amusement at being suspected of participating in a antiquities forgery ring. Encounter with Israel Antiquities Authority chief fraud investigator Amir Ganor; Investigation of the bone box inscribed 'James, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus'; Author's association with suspected forger Oded Golan.

The article reports on the forgery case involving Tel Aviv, Israel collector Oded Golan and antiquities dealer and scholar Robert Deutsch which awaits the decision of trial judge Aharon Farkash.

The article reports on the sentencing of Raphael Golb, son of University of Chicago Dead Sea Scroll scholar Norman Golb, who was charged with identity theft, forgery, and harassment on November 18, 2010.

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article "Rare Ancient Coin--Is It a Forgery?" in the March/April 2010 issue.

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the authenticity or forgery of the ancient coin featured in the March/April 2010 issue.

This section introduces a series of articles published within the issue about the secret gospel of Mark including its discovery at Mar Saba monastery in the Judean Desert, presentation of the case for forgery and examination of the textual tradition that could indicate authenticity.

This article reports that Professor Yuval Goren of Tel Aviv University has accused Hershel Shanks, editor of the Biblical Archaeology Review, of being a part of a conspiracy to commit fraud and forge relics. Goren has claimed a certain ossuary is a forgery and that Shanks was involved, despite a court trial that has not found any evidence of forgery.

The article presents the author's view on the usefulness of the bible scholars in seizing forgers. The author conveys that these bible scholars can also act like detectives in investigating anomalies especially in monitoring the antiquities which are highly regarded as valuable to history. He also mentions how scholars challenged by forgers by harnessing their skills in focusing keenness.

The article reports on the support to the idea of having no forgery that happened on the ossuary inscription, "James, son of Joseph, Brother of Jesus, according to Wolfgang E. Krumbein. Krumbein is the one responsible for studying the ossuary inscription and he is found to be the leader among German scientists. On the other hand, a criminal case has been filed against Oded Golan for forging the inscription.

The article reports on the findings by Yuval Goren, chief architect of the recent forgery findings regarding important Biblical relics in Israel. Goren led the team that performed the tests that allegedly showed the relics to have been forged. Goren has refused to discuss the matter publicly to reduce the chance of a contradiction to arise during a cross-examination at the trial.

Focuses on James Harrell's accusation on the authenticity of the James inscription. Call of Harrell for a re-analysis of the ossuary and its inscription; Basis for Harrell's accusation; Consideration of the controversy as a modern forgery.

Solicits support from readers to sign a petition asking the Israel Antiquities Authority to allow an independent examination of the James ossuary to determine whether or not the inscription is a modern forgery.

Reports on the conclusion of the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) that the James ossuary inscription is a forgery. Assertion on the use of paste to cover the inscription in order to conceal the forgery; Claim of the ossuary owner about cleaning method used on the items; Discovery of a natural patina on the ossuary by the IAA.

Presents three cartoons depicting the Israel Antiquities Authority's discovery of the James ossuary forgery.