‘As an institution that strives for the scientific truth, we are committed to correcting the mistake that was made and making it known to the public’
An ancient shard bearing the name of the Persian king Darius the Great that was announced to have been found earlier this week is “not authentic,” Israel’s Antiquities Authority (IAA) said Friday.
According to a statement issued by the IAA, they were approached by an expert who participated in an excavation expedition last August, and said she created the inscription “while demonstrating to a group of students the manner in which shards were inscribed in ancient times.”
“She then left the shard on the site, which led to the erroneous identification… this was done unintentionally and without malice,” the IAA assured.
On Wednesday, the IAA said the fragment found by hiker Eylon Levy – a former i24NEWS anchor and current international media advisor to Israeli President Isaac Herzog – in southern Israel was the first discovery of an inscription with the name of Darius I anywhere in the Jewish state. Darius was the father of King Ahasuerus, widely considered the biblical Achashverosh from the story of Purim, which Jews will celebrate next week.
The site of the find – now the Tel Lachish National Park – was a prosperous city and a major administrative hub 2,500 years ago. The inscription was believed to be a receipt for goods received or shipped.
“The IAA takes full responsibility for the unfortunate event,” said Professor Gideon Avni, the IAA’s chief scientist, who noted that the piece was examined by two leading researchers.
“As an institution that strives for the scientific truth, we are committed to correcting the mistake that was made and making it known to the public,” he added.
Avni said the incident “will refresh proper procedures and policies with all foreign expeditions working in the country.”
