# Are the fragments that surfaced on the antiquities market after 2002 genuine? · Dead Sea Scrolls: dating, scribes and provenance > Three answers have been proposed. Most or all post-2002 market fragments are modern forgeries, often on ancient leather. leads, with evidence 2 for… Source: https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/dead-sea-scrolls-dating/questions/QST0D484PB02ASS/are-the-fragments-that-surfaced-on-the-antiquities-market Publisher: Mysteries Department Licence: CC BY 4.0 (credit Mysteries Department and link the page) Updated: 2026-10-26T11:57:14+00:00 --- **0** # Are the fragments that surfaced on the antiquities market after 2002 genuine? Asked 26 Oct 2026 by [**apollo** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/u/apollo)·Part of [Where were the scrolls made, and by whom were they collected?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/dead-sea-scrolls-dating/questions/QST0D484P366F4K/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 leather** Ahead 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]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D484C2W581K/nine-dubious-dead-sea-scrolls-fragments-from-the-twenty). ## Answers 3 [**Most or all post-2002 market fragments are modern forgeries, often on ancient leather.** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/dead-sea-scrolls-dating/answers/ANS0D484XX65V4D/most-or-all-post-2002-market-fragments-are-modern-forgeries) Supported by its tests Evidence: 2 for Most likely [**None of these.** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/dead-sea-scrolls-dating/answers/ANS0D484Z481DEV/none-of-these) Not tested enough to call either way Evidence: none yet Still possible [**Some market fragments are forged but others are genuine pieces from the caves.** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/dead-sea-scrolls-dating/answers/ANS0D484YMM4R7S/some-market-fragments-are-forged-but-others-are-genuine) Not tested enough to call either way Evidence: 1 for Still possible ## History 1. 2017[Davis et al. puts forward: most or all post-2002 market fragments are modern forgeries, often on ancient leather.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D484C2W581K/nine-dubious-dead-sea-scrolls-fragments-from-the-twenty) 1. 2017[Davis et al.: nine market fragments show material and palaeographic signs of modern production.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D484C2W581K/nine-dubious-dead-sea-scrolls-fragments-from-the-twenty)For: Most or all post-2002 market fragments are modern forgeries, often on ancient leather. 1. 2020[Greshko: an investigation found all 16 Museum of the Bible fragments to be forgeries.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D484CAP1B1R/dead-sea-scrolls-at-the-museum-of-the-bible-are-all)For: Most or all post-2002 market fragments are modern forgeries, often on ancient leather. 1. 2020[Anava et al.: dNA analysis separated some debated fragments from the Qumran scrolls, which shows that tests can sort them.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D484BV21WC8/illuminating-genetic-mysteries-of-the-dead-sea-scrolls)For: Some market fragments are forged but others are genuine pieces from the caves. 1. 26 Oct 2026Asked on this site ## Discussion 0 [Add to the discussion](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/dead-sea-scrolls-dating/questions/QST0D484PB02ASS/are-the-fragments-that-surfaced-on-the-antiquities-market%23discussion) Help with this question [ **Propose an answer** Something the evidence could support or rule out ] [ **Propose an answer** Something the evidence could support or rule out ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/dead-sea-scrolls-dating/questions/QST0D484PB02ASS/are-the-fragments-that-surfaced-on-the-antiquities-market%23add-answer) [ **Add evidence** A result for or against an answer ] [ **Add evidence** A result for or against an answer ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/dead-sea-scrolls-dating/questions/QST0D484PB02ASS/are-the-fragments-that-surfaced-on-the-antiquities-market%23add-evidence) [ **Ask a sub-question** A smaller question that would help settle this one ] [ **Ask a sub-question** A smaller question that would help settle this one ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/dead-sea-scrolls-dating/questions/QST0D484PB02ASS/are-the-fragments-that-surfaced-on-the-antiquities-market%23add-question) [ **Add a source** A paper, archive record or image ] [ **Add a source** A paper, archive record or image ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/dead-sea-scrolls-dating/questions/QST0D484PB02ASS/are-the-fragments-that-surfaced-on-the-antiquities-market%23add-source) Where it fits Dead Sea Scrolls: dating, scribes and provenance [**Where were the scrolls made, and by whom were they collected?** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/dead-sea-scrolls-dating/questions/QST0D484P366F4K/where-were-the-scrolls-made-and-by-whom-were-they-collected)Key question · most likely a sectarian community living at Qumran collected and partly copied the library **Are the fragments that surfaced on the antiquities market after 2002 genuine?** You're here · most or all post-2002 market fragments are modern forgeries, often on ancient leather [ Ask a question under this one ]