In 2016, Steve Green, president of Hobby Lobby, spent millions on what he believed to be fragments of the Bible to place in the Bible Museum in Washington. A study has now confirmed the fragments in question are in fact fakes.
Instead of being part of arguably the most significant archaeological finds, they are believed to have been made of Roman shoe leather.
A report by five art fraud investigators was published online, replacing a conference on the subject which was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
They spent six months analysing each of the five fragments individually, completing the study on Dead Sea Scroll fakes from 2017.
Colette Loll, director and founder of Art Fraud Insights, said that: “After an exhaustive review of all the imaging and scientific analysis results, it is evident that none of the textual fragments in [the] Museum of the Bible’s Dead Sea Scroll collection are authentic.”
She continued: “Moreover, each exhibit’s characteristics that suggest they are deliberate forgeries created in the 20th century with the intent to mimic authentic Dead Sea Scroll fragments.”
It is believed that the forgers used Roman-era leather, possibly from shoes, to imitate the material which would have been used.
Microscopic and chemical analyses were used to note the inconsistencies in the fragments, including a shiny residue, believed to be from animal glue.
Further evidence suggests that writing was added after the artificial aging of the materials.
Dr Jeffery Khloha, the museum’s chief curatorial officer, said that: “The sophisticated and costly methods employed to discover the truth about our collection could be used to shed light on other suspicious fragments and perhaps even be effective in uncovering who is responsible for these forgeries.”
The fragments have now been removed from the museum.
