Investigators may have discovered earliest evidence of Christian iconography

[SPQR Matt]

Here's an article some might find interesting:

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/investigators-may-discovered-earliest-evidence-christian-iconography-jerusalem-231736336.html

[SkySoldier]

Neat article.  I find it interesting that most discoveries related to biblical themes generate the most conflict and controversy, especially in dealing with textual criticism.

[Robert_Brenchley]

There's money in making outrageous claims about Christian origins, that's part of it. So far there's no hard evidence to connect any of this stuff to Jesus' family or the church.

[David Atherton]

There's money in making outrageous claims about Christian origins, that's part of it. So far there's no hard evidence to connect any of this stuff to Jesus' family or the church.

Tabor has a book that just came out, which explains why this is in the "news". Pseudoarchaeology at its worst - leave your critical thinking at the door.

[SkySoldier]

Very true.  The ossuary "find" seemed designed for that very purpose.  These guys can be worse than quacks.

[Robert_Brenchley]

Here's a good post from Mark Goodacre, debunking one of the claims being made. The fish scratched on one of the ossuaries is being connected to the Jonah story - there isn't any real evidence to support this - and they're claiming that Jonah was linked to the resurrection at a very early time. To support this, they're quoting 'Q', a reconstructed (nobody's ever found a copy, and neither Goodacre nor I believe it ever existed) source used by Matthew and Luke. The idea is an old one,  offering one possible explanation of the fact that Luke and Matthew, while both adapted and expanded on Mark, also contain shared material which isn't in Mark. Unfortunately the Jonah idea isn't in Q (Goodacre is a top expert on the relationship between the Gospels), and originated with Matthew, which seems to have been writted about the 80's AD. So there is in fact no evidence that it goes back anywhere near the date they're claiming for the tomb!

http://ntweblog.blogspot.com/2012/03/talpiot-tomb-jonah-and-q.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+MarkGoodacresNTBlog+%28Mark+Goodacre%27s+NT+Blog%29&utm_content=Google+Reader

[Robert_Brenchley]

There's a comprehensive debunking here: http://asorblog.org/?p=1642

[David Atherton]

Thank you Robert for both of the above links. It's great to read unbiased analysis of the evidence.

[Aarmale]

There's a comprehensive debunking here: http://asorblog.org/?p=1642

Just by reading the posts here I sensed the presence of Simcha Jacobovici.  This is exactly something he would do.  Pseudo-archaeological finds with no real supporting evidence. 

He is not an archaeologist, he is a television writer.  Most of his historical claims are written with entertainment in mind, not academics, and cannot be taken as anything but entertainment.

[Robert_Brenchley]

That's about the size of it; he's got a terrible reputation. It now appears that the 'fish' image was photoshopped. http://robertcargill.com/2012/03/05/if-the-evidence-doesnt-fit-photoshop-it/

[Mark Z]

They remind me of this guy:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erich_von_D%C3%A4niken

mz

[David Atherton]

That's about the size of it; he's got a terrible reputation. It now appears that the 'fish' image was photoshopped. http://robertcargill.com/2012/03/05/if-the-evidence-doesnt-fit-photoshop-it/

Unsurprising that they shoehorn the evidence to fit their conclusions. One wonders if this kind of dishonesty is intentional or from ignorance.

[Robert_Brenchley]

I think they know exactly what they're doing.