"Ancient" Syriac bible found in Cyprus

[Adsos Letter]

Source: Reuters
By Sarah Ktisti and Simon Bahceli

NICOSIA - Authorities in northern Cyprus believe they have found an ancient version of the Bible written in Syriac, a dialect of the native language of Jesus.

The manuscript was found in a police raid on suspected antiquity smugglers. Turkish Cypriot police testified in a court hearing they believe the manuscript could be about 2,000 years old.

The manuscript carries excerpts of the Bible written in gold lettering on vellum and loosely strung together, photos provided to Reuters showed. One page carries a drawing of a tree, and another eight lines of Syriac script.

Experts were however divided over the provenance of the manuscript, and whether it was an original, which would render it priceless, or a fake.




http://www.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idUSTRE5152HR20090206

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The debate over this one should be interesting...

[xchrom]

1. cool. this will be worth watching. nt

[alfredo]

2. The link went to some weird "antiwares" popup and a "scan."

[Adsos Letter]

3. Hmmm...worked ok for me...

:shrug: Didn't you get some kind of warning on another article I linked to a few days ago?

Anyone else getting these warnings?

[alfredo]

10. I have a pop up blocker. It's very rare that I get any warnings other

than the typical notice of a possible malicious site. I clicked no I didn't want a free scan, and it went to a site with a graphic that looked like something was scanning or downloading. I closed the window. I wasn't as concerned over a possible trojan or something like that as much as I was offended by such an over aggressive advert.

[Blue_In_AK]

16. Adsos, I had trouble with that link, too.

The other ones have worked okay.

[Grey]

15. Just happened to me,

Said my Mac had all sorts of shit on it.

[Maestro]

21. I got it too

I wanted to read the article as well.

[patrice]

4. Cool! I want to see more about this.

[Trajan]

5. 2000 years ?

Hmmm .... Since the 'New Testament' was introduced in the 4th century, it must be presumed to be the old canon ... and if that is true; what was the extant of 'general usage' biblical manuscripts ? ...

Wouldn't a 'pre-christian bible' necessarily contain the books of the Torah ? .... and wouldnt the old canon be implemented as scrolls, and not as a bound, gold lettered vellum codex ? ....

There are fanciful elements to this story .... This is a later development ...

[Adsos Letter]

7. Interesting observations...

When was the codex introduced as a "publication" method (to introduce an anachronism here).

The 2000 year old date caught me off-guard also. I would assume it would be the Torah, major and minor prophets, Psalms, etc. It would still be younger than the Isaiah Scroll, iirc.

According to the article there is skepticism surrounding the use of gold lettering on a document of this age; some scholars are suggesting an age closer to 1000 years.

The debate should be interesting, and I am sure the philologists, and others in the respective fields will be weighing in.

[H2O Man]

19. "Bible"

We use a limited use of the word, which has meanings that can certainly include the book in question.

[Historic NY]

6. I often wonder why Rome conceals the text of other bibles from the period..

is it to control the "Greatest Story" or to revise what they think the idealized version of the Bible should be. I personally want the good, the bad,& the ugly. What are they afraid of? Do these bibles speak of women priests? Do they speak of married priests? Humm, it must be something that makes these Gospels, Epistles, and letters shelter from our eyes & ears. I like my namesake Thomas sometimes doubt much of what I can't put a finger on.

[timtom]

18. My name is Thomas, as well

and I believe it IS to control the greatet story and to revise. The Vatican is suspected to be a giant control freak concerning truth and history.

[Bluenorthwest]

22. There is nothing in any bible about

Christian priests, celebate or not. No such thing as Christian clergy in the bible. The priesthood you speak of came far later.

[H2O Man]

23. A great book

(which you may have already read) is Baigent & Leigh's 1993 "The Dead Sea Scrolls Deception." It details how and why Rome has kept numerous historic documents hidden. I believe that Malcolm X was correct in saying that they do so, because if these were more widely known, it would take the prophet Jesus off of stained-glass windows, and place him firmly in the context of humanity.

[Forkboy]

8. Translated, it reads, "Any resemblance to persons living or dead is entirely coincidental."

:hide:

[Adsos Letter]

9. !!!

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[peacetalksforall]

11. My eyes lit up. I hope there is some new stuff here that negates

all the weird interpretations that makes people go crazy with hate for other people, Including people of the same religion or different ones.

Congratulations to the 'living or dead' quip sender. That was the best laugh of the week. Thanks.

[Adsos Letter]

12. Forkboy is notorious for his quips.

:D

[TheDebbieDee]

13. I thought Jesus spoke Aramaic, if he existed at all, that is.

[Adsos Letter]

14. There is also discussion that, if he was a tradesman...

(carpenter meant more than just "carpentry in those times) working close to the Decapolis, he may also have spoken at least enough Greek for business purposes.

I don't know what form Torah was in, but if, as the accounts suggest, he stood to read at synogogue, he may also have had a reading knowledge of Hebrew.

[H2O Man]

20. Syriac

is the eastern dialect of Aramaic, not a separate language. But you have sharp eyes and a sharp mind -- for indeed it is distinct from the western version (also refered to as the palestinian dialect) that the historic Jeses spoke.

[SpiralHawk]

17. "Thou Shalt not torture." - Commandment*

* Usually written as 'do unto others as you would have them do unto you," but made plainer in this translation for Republicon Homelanders who aspire to be true Christians.

[ThomWV]

24. So, is this as important as finding a 1st Edition of a Superman Comic Book?

I mean the real thing, in perfect condition; one where you can see the real color blue in Lois' skirt?

[FreeStateDemocrat]

25. Here is Yahoo news link:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090206/lf_nm_life/us_cyprus_bible

[Historic NY]

26. ..