By Jacques Neguer
Head of Art Restoration
Israel Antiquities Authority
May 2003
1. The ossuary itself is authentic.
2. The ossuary inscription is forged, for a number of reasons:
· All scratches and incisions are coated with the original patina, and only the inscription is coated with a simulated patina-like material of round crystalline grains. This material is located only on the inscribed side of the box.
· The incised inscription cuts through the original patina.
· The inscription was apparently written by two different people and instruments (see the letter bet in the words יעקוב בן.
It is recommended to link all the investigation data to the photograph in the data base in order to have an overall picture.
*For the meantime, I have no opinion on the Yehoash inscription.