King Jehoash and the Mystery of the Temple of Solomon Inscription

About the Book

A royal inscription, attributed to King Jehoash of Judah, surfaced on the Jerusalem antiquities market a few years ago. The Hebrew text, which recounts restorations to the Temple of Solomon, is similar to the biblical narrative. The inscribed black stone created worldwide news coverage and was branded a forgery by academicians most of whom are not professional Epigraphers.

If genuine, would the stone prove that the Temple of Solomon once stood on Temple Mount or Haram ash-Shareef, sacred to both Jews and Muslims? Would Jewish fanatics use such proof to blow up the al-Aqsa Mosque, creating a nightmarish war against Jews everywhere? Could the inscription be a forgery, and who could have faked such an artifact? Are those persons brought to trial guilty or innocent?

A literary sleuth, Professor Victor Sassoon publishes a research study showing the text of the inscription could well be genuine. With his expertise in Ancient Near Eastern Semitic Epigraphy, coupled with his acumen in deductive reasoning, Professor Sassoon unmasks the fallacies and incompetence of scholars who have jumped on the wagon of the international news media. With his trusted friend and colleague, Dr. Watkins, he travels from London to Jerusalem to investigate further. Trial sessions he attends testify to the ignorance and arrogance of "expert" witnesses for the Prosecution. His adventures lead him to an Arabic document that sheds light on the stone and on its historical links-links that continue to speak of religious and political ideologies and intrigue.

King Jehoash and the Mystery of the Temple of Solomon Inscription is a novel about an archaeological artifact that has created worldwide scholarly, religious, and political tensions, and is the focus of a slow moving criminal trial.

About the Author

Victor Sasson grew up in Baghdad. He holds degrees from the University of London and an American doctorate. He was Senior Lecturer in Semitic Languages, University of South Africa, and has also taught languages in other universities. A Biblical scholar, Hebraist, and specialist in Hebrew and Aramaic Epigraphy, he has also written literary fiction, poetry, essays, and a dramatic play.