Back to search

FRIHUMSAM-Fri prosj.st. hum og sam

"The Lying Pen of Scribes": Manuscript Forgeries, Digital Imaging, and Critical Provenance Research

Alternative title: "Skriveres løgnaktige penn": Manuskriptforfalskninger, digital bildebehandling og kritisk proveniensforskning

Awarded: NOK 12.4 mill.

The forgery of more than 70 so-called post-2002 Dead Sea Scrolls fragments, and the subsequent publication of a majority of these, disclosed a fundamental crisis in the field of Dead Sea Scrolls and Qumran studies. The fragments were promoted by leading scholars; they were published by some of the most reputable experts in the field; many of these fragments allegedly passed advanced physical testing and were authenticated by renowned palaeographers. In other words, none of the major tools in the manuscript expert's tool box worked, at least not at the outset. The fragments became (and still remain) part of the famous Dead Sea Scrolls dataset, even though they are undocumented, unprovenanced, and forged. Traditionally, critical provenance research has been neglected in Qumran studies. Interest in, and reflection on, provenance has been scarce. The Lying Pen of Scribes represents a new interdisciplinary and holistic approach to the Dead Sea Scrolls and seeks to create a more comprehensive dataset. The project is guided by the following overarching questions: (1) What critical insights can be gained from the post-2002 Dead Sea Scrolls scandal, and how can these contribute to changing Qumran studies and manuscript studies at large? (2) How do collectors, museums, antiquities dealers, and scholars "authenticate" unprovenanced manuscripts and inscriptions? (3) How is provenance constructed, how do narratives of manuscript finds continue to evolve, and how can claims made about provenance (supposed origin, acquisition, ownership history) be properly evaluated? The main objective of the project is to produce a comprehensive resource of data, methods, and protocols for the interdisciplinary analysis of Dead Sea Scroll manuscripts and fragments through a combination of physical analyses, digital imaging, machine learning, study of scribal practices, critical provenance research, and an exploration of media that shaped the narratives about the world's most famous manuscript find.

The forgery of more than 70 so-called post-2002 Dead Sea Scrolls (DSS) fragments and the subsequent publishing of a majority of these, disclosed a fundamental and many-faceted crisis in the field of DSS and Qumran studies. The fragments were promoted by leading scholars; they were published by some of the most reputable experts in the field; many of the fragments allegedly “survived” advanced physical testing and were authenticated by palaeographers. The fragments became part of the DSS dataset, even though they are undocumented, unprovenanced, and forged. Traditionally, critical provenance research has been neglected in DSS research. In the official publication series of the DSS, Discoveries in the Judaean Desert, information and reflection on the provenance of the manuscripts and fragments is scarce. “The Lying Pen of Scribes” represents a new interdisciplinary and holistic approach to the DSS and seeks to create a more comprehensive and multifaceted dataset. The project is guided by the following overarching questions: (1) What critical insights can be gained from the post-2002 DSS scandal, and how can these contribute to change Qumran studies and manuscript studies at large? (2) How do collectors, museums, antiquities dealers, and scholars “authenticate” unprovenanced manuscripts and inscriptions? (3) How is provenance constructed, how do narratives of manuscript finds continue to evolve, and how can information about asserted provenance (origin, acquisition, ownership history) be decoded? The main objective of the project is to produce a comprehensive resource of data, methods, and procedures for the interdisciplinary analysis of Hebrew and Aramaic DSS manuscripts and fragments through a combination of physical analyses, digital imaging, machine learning, study of scribal practices, critical provenance research and an exploration of the various media that shaped and circulated the narratives about the world’s most famous manuscript find.

Publications from Cristin

Funding scheme:

FRIHUMSAM-Fri prosj.st. hum og sam