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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.

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 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.

Presents an interview with archaeologist Eric Meyers. In late December, Israeli authorities filed criminal indictments against five suspects, four of them antiquities dealers who allegedly belong to a forgery ring that crafted such notorious objects as the Jehoash Inscription, the James Ossuary, and an ivory pomegranate that had once been a heralded item of the Israel Museum. Archaeologist Eric Meyers spoke to "Archaeology" about how the recent spate of high-profile forgeries should force archaeologists, museums, and even governments to rethink the way they approach ancient objects that lack archaeological provenance.

This article reports on the forgery of an Israeli antiquity. Eighteen months after the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) first announced that the James Ossuary, a first century A.D. limestone bone box engraved with the words "James, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus," and the Jehoash inscription, a tablet purporting to be a 2,800-year-old account of repairs to the Temple in Jerusalem, were forgeries, the country's Justice Ministry handed down indictments against five men. The group includes four antiquities dealers, among them ossuary owner Oded Golan, and the former head of the antiquities laboratory at the Israel Museum. Yuval Goren, a forgery expert worries that the trials will have a negative impact on public attitude toward biblical archaeology.

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 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.

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.

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.

Reports on the arrest of ossuary dealer Oded Golan after discovering forgery equipment in Tel Aviv, Israel. Conclusion of the Israeli Antiquities Authority that the ossuary of Jesus' brother, James is a fake; Aramaic inscription found in the limestone box; Promotion of the box and its inscription as authentic.