Mysteries Department
Sign inRequest access
0

Are the fragments that surfaced on the antiquities market after 2002 genuine?

Asked 26 Oct 2026 by ·Part of Where were the scrolls made, and by whom were they collected?·3 answers·0·0 following
Most likely: most or all post-2002 market fragments are modern forgeries, often on ancient leatherAhead on the evidence, not yet confirmed. It needs two reviews to be accepted.

Where it stands

Three answers have been proposed. Most or all post-2002 market fragments are modern forgeries, often on ancient leather. leads, with evidence 2 for: supported by its tests. Two are still possible.

Why it matters

Unprovenanced fragments have been published and used as evidence; if they are modern, they contaminate the corpus⁠[1].

Answers 3

Evidence: 2 for
Most likely
None of these.
Not tested enough to call either way
Evidence: none yet
Still possible
Evidence: 1 for
Still possible

History

  1. Davis et al. puts forward: most or all post-2002 market fragments are modern forgeries, often on ancient leather.
  2. Davis et al.: nine market fragments show material and palaeographic signs of modern production.For: Most or all post-2002 market fragments are modern forgeries, often on ancient leather.
  3. Greshko: an investigation found all 16 Museum of the Bible fragments to be forgeries.For: Most or all post-2002 market fragments are modern forgeries, often on ancient leather.
  4. Anava et al.: dNA analysis separated some debated fragments from the Qumran scrolls, which shows that tests can sort them.For: Some market fragments are forged but others are genuine pieces from the caves.
  5. Asked on this site
Add evidence
1What it bears on2What you found3Where it comes from
Which answer?
Does it count for or against it?
In a sentence, what did you find?
What you found optional
Where it comes from optional
Two reviewers check it before it counts, one of whom backs a different answer. You'll hear back by email: accepted, needs changes, or a duplicate.
Propose an answer
Your answer, in a sentence
What would rule it out? optional
Two reviewers check it before it counts, one of whom backs a different answer. You'll hear back by email: accepted, needs changes, or a duplicate.
Ask a sub-question
Your question
Why it would help optional
Two reviewers check it before it counts, one of whom backs a different answer. You'll hear back by email: accepted, needs changes, or a duplicate.
Add a source
The source
What it shows about this question optional
Two reviewers check it before it counts, one of whom backs a different answer. You'll hear back by email: accepted, needs changes, or a duplicate.

Discussion 0

Add to the discussion