Prosecution of the forgery "trial of the century" has all but fallen apart, according to Biblical Archaeology Review, but the trial continues.
After any discovery (archaeological or otherwise) it is normal in scholarship for the course of debate to continue over several years, even decades, until a consensus is finally reached. With controversial discoveries, such as the so-called James ossuary, the debate often spills over into the popular press. Popular allegations in the headlines have swung wildly back and forth, exceeding the normal give-and-take of scholarly debate.
The truth is that there is no way to know for sure, yet. Here's a recap of some of the key events:
- October 2002: "James Ossuary" announced amid fanfare, presented as possibly having been used for burial of Jesus' brother James, who, as leader of the Jerusalem church, was martyred in approximately AD 62
- The ossuary itself (a limestone box used for secondary burial of bones) dates to first century Palestine
- Inscription: "James, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus" It is the inscription that has been called into question.
- December 2004: Indictment of alleged forgers
- September 2005: Trial begins amid fanfare... Prosecution presents their case over three years
- October 2008: The trial judge advised the prosecution to consider dropping the case as not having been proven
- 120 witnesses have been called, generating 8,000 pages of testimony
- Charges were dropped against two of the five original defendants (one pled guilty to a minor charge unrelated to the case)
- Fall 2008—Spring 2009: Defendants have provided plausable evidence refuting the prosecution allegations
- July 2009: Trial ongoing
Nobody can authoritatively conclude one way or the other. The trial actually can determine whether it can be demonstrated that defendants are guilty of forgery, whether of this item or any other. Regardless of the outcome of the trial, it will left to scholars and experts to resolve the question of the artifact's authenticity.
The bottom line: We will have to be patient. Here are some resources with recent updates:
"'Jesus [sic] ossuary trial' stalled after more than three years"
By MATTHEW KALMAN, freelance writer published in the Jerusalem Post, March 31, 2009
"James Ossuary Trial Continues to Unravel"
By Hershel Shanks, Editor, Biblical Archaeology Review, April 1, 2009
Biblical Archaeology Review overview:
http://www.bib-arch.org/debates/antiquities-trial-00.asp
http://www.bib-arch.org/news/forgery-trial-news.asp
