Author Archives: Brent Nongbri

Hobby Lobby and Penance: Some Observations and Suggestions

Posted on March 29, 2020

As I noted on Friday, Steve Green, in his capacity as Chairman of the Board of the Museum of the Bible, announced that the museum would be repatriating some 11,500 artifacts that were acquired with “insufficient provenance.” I’ve taken some … Continue reading →

Posted in Antiquities Dealers and Collectors, Antiquities Market, Dirk Obbink, Green Collection, Scott Carroll | 3 Comments

A Statement from Steve Green on Hobby Lobby Acquisitions

Posted on March 27, 2020

Thanks to Mike Holmes for letting me know about this announcement from Steve Green: “Today, I am announcing that we have identified approximately 5,000 papyri fragments and 6,500 clay objects with insufficient provenance that we are working to deliver to … Continue reading →

Posted in Antiquities Market, Green Collection | 2 Comments

Fake Dead Sea Scrolls and the People Who Sell Them: One Fragment’s Story

Posted on March 27, 2020

Two posts in recent days prompt me to wonder about the cast of characters involved in the marketing of the “post-2002 Dead Sea Scrolls like fragments” that most of the guild now regards as forgeries (though respected Dead Sea Scrolls … Continue reading →

Posted in Antiquities Dealers and Collectors, Antiquities Market, Dead Sea Scrolls, Fakes and Forgeries, Green Collection, Lee Biondi, Schøyen Collection | 3 Comments

A Missing “Robinson Papyrus” Found?

Posted on March 14, 2020

A few years ago, I started looking into the so-called “Robinson Papyri,” a collection of pieces assembled in the first half of the twentieth century by David M. Robinson, a professor archaeology at the University of Mississippi. Upon Robinson’s death, … Continue reading →

Posted in Antiquities Dealers and Collectors, Antiquities Market, Dirk Obbink, P.Sapph. Obbink, Robinson Papyri | Leave a comment

Report: All the “Dead Sea Scrolls” at the Museum of the Bible Are Fakes

Posted on March 13, 2020

In an article posted online earlier today, National Geographic reported something that is not that surprising to many of us who have been following this story: All 16 of the so-called “Dead Sea Scrolls” owned by the Museum of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Antiquities Dealers and Collectors, Antiquities Market, Dead Sea Scrolls, Fakes and Forgeries, Green Collection | 6 Comments

Dirk Obbink and the Hobby Lobby Sappho Fragments

Posted on February 21, 2020

In yet another fascinating video unearthed by David Bradnick, “Seeking Sappho,” we see Oxford Professor Dirk Obbink at work on the Hobby Lobby (Green Collection) Sappho fragments: There are several strange features of this video. First, some of the footage … Continue reading →

Posted in Antiquities Dealers and Collectors, Antiquities Market, Dirk Obbink, Green Collection, Green Collection Sappho, P.Sapph. Obbink | 11 Comments

More Mummy and Cartonnage Material in the Green Collection

Posted on February 19, 2020

Courtesy of David Bradnick, here are a few more examples of mummy masks and other cartonnage associated with the Green Collection (I have been keeping a record of mummy masks in the Green Collection here). I note that the two … Continue reading →

Posted in Antiquities Dealers and Collectors, Antiquities Market, Dirk Obbink, Green Collection, Mummies, Mummy cartonnage | 6 Comments