Tag Archives: whale

The “Jonah Ossuary” Images Debunked

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To quote Bob: “Fish don’t have handles.”
Click to enlarge and see.

Robert Cargill has posted a blog article that, beyond a shadow of a doubt, exposes where the so-called “Jonah Ossuary” images were digitally manipulated. These manipulations were made to hide features that very plainly show that the “fish” are in fact pottery.

If that were not enough: 

Almost immediately after Bob posted this article (March 13 2012 @ 13:21, to be precise) the “The Jesus Discovery” blog (which is the official mouthpiece of Jacobovici and Tabor’s “findings”) pulled down one of the manipulated images to re-title replace it.

Needless to say, this is not how one deals properly with criticism, and this is not the first time that edits to the “findings” have been made without proper citation and documentation.

In the digital age, there is always a “paper trail” and those who are observant will find it. 🙂

The original image (#16 posted Feb 27 @ 21:42, subsequently deleted),
now image #61 posted Mar 14 @ 13:21.
Note the overlay for strokes that are not present in the image.
Please, click the image to enlarge and see for yourself.

Image #60, posted Mar 13 @ 18:07.
Please, click the image to enlarge and see for yourself.

UPDATE: The paper trail continues. At 18:07, the old image (where the “fish” outlines were doctored; previously #16 [deleted], and then #60 with un-doctored lines) was re-uploaded as image #61. I will be watching carefully to see if #60 is deleted.

Peace,
-Steve

More on “The Jesus Discovery” – A Fish? Nay.

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I posted this over on the ASOR blog in the comments, but I feel I should also share it here in more elaboration:

What is this?

If you’re not aware, Simcha Jacobovici and James Tabor believe this is a fish. Specifically, the whale that swallowed Jonah. That “ball” at the bottom? They believe it’s Jonah’s head, wrapped in seaweed, being spat out upon land.

I believe that this is a better metaphor to understand the current problem with that conclusion:

(Especially pertaining to Jonah’s head. Or should I say ‘skull’? Wait until about 0:28 and you will see *precisely* what I mean).

(HT to Tom Verenna for an excellent infographic.)

That aside, in the proper orientation, the lines of different texture are most consistent with layered patterns produced by potters and glass workers ubiquitous to the era. (As many other scholars have pointed out.)

If this — as a fish — is “a first” (as Dr. Tabor calls it) even a casual observer should see a bright, red flag: If this is without precedent and we have nothing to compare it with, standard procedure is to observe extreme caution before we make any unusual or sensational claims.

As the matter stands, we have many, many examples of pottery and other vessels on ossuaries and they look more like this image than anything else (in structure, motif, and function). With that precedent, I would feel it’s the safer and more likely conclusion.

The “Fish Hypothesis” (on the other hand) requires treating the inscription’s details as a bit of a Rorschach, which flings us from the stage of scientific inquiry and thrusts us into a completely different field altogether.

No, not this Rorschach.
But if you messed with him, you might end up in an ossuary yourself.

UPDATE: Robert Cargill has written an amazing exposé on how the images have been altered digitally. I can only concur with his analysis as the hallmarks of photoshopping are all too prominent.

Peace,
-Steve “I don’t see the skull” Caruso, MLIS