Simcha Jacobovici, well known as the discoverer of the Jesus Family Tomb in Talpiot, has come forward with a brilliant, self-parodying April fool's joke in which he hilariously claims to have discovered the nails used to crucify Jesus!
If only it were 1 April, and if only Jacobovici had that degree of self-awareness. Alas, he appears to be serious and alas, the media happily report the story, with pictures of Simcha proudly but earnestly showing the nail to the camera.
This one really is breathtaking. I suppose the major encouragement here is that it could go beyond self-parody, encouraging the public to treat this kind of "archeoporn" (Jonathan Reed's term) with the ridicule it deserves.
As usual, Jim West was on the case first and Robert Cargill has some entertaining and spot-on comments. Jim Davila gathers this together with several other extraordinary stories to declare 12 April Bizarre Historical Claims Day.
I wonder if Jacobovici got the idea for the latest documentary from this scene from Black Adder?
LOLOL! black adder... awesome!
ReplyDeleteThis has always been one of my favourite episodes of Blackadder. "...and another thing that bothers me Your Grace. If my right hand causes me to sin and I cut it off, and then my left hand causes me to sin also, what do I cut it off with?".
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