A Firestorm!

The Mt Ebal Curse Tablet

History VIII

[Post fourteen of thirty-two]

Why the intense scorn about Stripling’s pronouncement about the Curse Tablet?

The archaeological community acknowledged a procedure. It discouraged reporting a find until after it had completed peer review. Stripling admitted to violating this.

Note

This is the fourteenth post of my memorandum on the Mt. Ebal Curse Tablet.

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About this infraction, Stripling explained that he had feared losing his intellectual stake. He thus felt compelled, despite protocol, to release what he had.

Unfortunately, this happened after another archaeological embarrassment. This had heightened sensitivity about procedures.1

The Israel Antiquities Authority had publicized its analysis of a Tel Lachish sherd. Their news release heralded it as a first. No written reference in Israel had mentioned Darius the Great. This Persian King lived about 2500 years ago.2

Shortly afterwards, however, a researcher specializing in ancient Aramaic confessed. She had written the inscription.

While visiting the site with her students, she had demonstrated the ancient script on a sherd. On finishing her lesson, she had tossed it aside, not intending any malice.1

What she had demonstrated was accurate. In fact, it fooled renowned scholars.

Mortification ensued across prestigious academic communities.

Into that setting, Stripling’s dilemma landed.2

This outraged many scholars. He had declared a history-challenging find underpinned by photos. Not only had he not navigated peer review. He had not released his photos for academic scrutiny. This handcuffed the vetting of his fantastic claims.

Stripling had lit a firestorm!

Now here are some questions. Is the protocol of not releasing information about a find until after peer review a good policy? Why or why not?

Let me know in the comments.

Thank you for engaging with this topic thus far!

The next post, the ninth in our review of the Curse Tablet’s history, is “Peer Review”.

I look forward to continuing with you there.

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Next post: “Peer Review“

1. Melainie Kidman, Academic article on controversial 3,200-year old ‘curse tablet’ fails to sway experts, The Times of Israel, 14 May 2023, paragraph 32, 33, and 34, https://www.timesofisrael.com/academic-article-on-controversial-3200-year-old-curse-tablet-fails-to-sway-experts/, (7 October 2024). ↩︎
2. Breaking News, “Mt. Ebal Curse Tablet Peer Review Complete”, Appian Media, In Roads, youtube.com/watch?v=_15tYO4hqJS, (33:35), May 12, 2023. ↩︎
3. Melainie Kidman, Academic article on controversial 3,200-year old ‘curse tablet’ fails to sway experts, The Times of Israel, 14 May 2023, paragraph 32, 33, and 34, https://www.timesofisrael.com/academic-article-on-controversial-3200-year-old-curse-tablet-fails-to-sway-experts/, (7 October 2024). ↩︎
4. Id. ↩︎