Khirbet Qeiyafa Inscription Update

For a clear presentation of the inscription, with an indication of areas of agreement and disagreement with respect to its exact contents among Haggai Misgav, Ada Yardeni, and Gershon Galil, go to the Khirbet Qeiyafa Archaeological Project’s official website here. Published recently: an open letter of the expedition addressed to Gershon Galil. Go here. The Hebrew University expedition holds the press release of the University of Haifa to the same standards one would apply to a peer-reviewed article. I would think that the best response from Galil and the University of Haifa would be: “No disrespect intended. For a properly footnoted discussion, see the forthcoming article by Gershon Galil, to appear in [    ].”

Aside from the question of improprieties the letter lays at Galil’s door, the spat is a reminder of a מצוה mitzvah of scholarship which is impossible to enforce but very much in the hearts and minds of many researchers: “Thou shalt not steal your colleague’s thunder.” As in: I said it first, and if you want to say the same thing, be sure to note that I said it first. For a lot of people, that’s right up there with: “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” 

UPDATE: I just noticed that Doug Magnum posted on the open letter days ago. Go here.

Comments

[Gary Simmons]

What I don't understand is how Galil, assuming the open letter's indictments are true, thought he could get away with taking credit like that.

I wish we could leave data manipulation to the climate scientists.

[JohnFH]

I'm guessing that the wording of the press release was not handled by Galil. I prefer to reserve judgment. Someone else may have "framed" him, literally and figuratively.

Regardless, Haifa University might do well to offer a "correction."