The Mt Ebal Curse Tablet
Facts
History VIII
[Post fourteen of thirty-three]
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.
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
The tomb of Darius the Great (550 B.C. to 486 B.C.) at Naqsh-e-Rustam
The site lies northwest of ancient Persepolis, 30 miles (50 km) northeast of modern Shiraz, Iran.
Photo by Nursel Kaya on Pexels.com
Ruins of Persepolis, a city founded by Darius the Great
Photo by Masih Shahbazi on Pexels.com
Shortly afterwards, however, a researcher specializing in ancient Aramaic confessed. She had written the inscription.
While visiting the site with her students, she 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. Stripling had declared a history-challenging find underpinned by photos. He did not navigate peer review, nor did he release his photos for academic scrutiny. This handcuffed others from vetting his fantastic claims.
Stripling had lit a firestorm!
Now, here are some questions. Is the protocol of not releasing information about an artifact until after peer review a good policy? Why or why not?
Let me know in the comments.
Next post: “Peer Review”
- 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). ↩︎
- Breaking News, “Mt. Ebal Curse Tablet Peer Review Complete”, Appian Media, In Roads, youtube.com/watch?v=_15tYO4hqJS, (33:35), May 12, 2023. ↩︎
- 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). ↩︎
- Id. ↩︎
To view the memorandum from the beginning, click here.
For the composite footnotes, click here.
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