National Republican., 1883-09-08
suAPIRA'S MANUSCRIPT.
History OF the Discovery of the Ancient
Copies OF Deuteronomy.


Tho discovery of an ancient manuscript of
Deuteronomy,whichi is offered by Mr.. Shapiro,
of Jerusalem, to the British museum for $5 000-
600, is attracting great attention in England.
Mr.. Shapiro made to tho authorities of the
British museum statement to the following
effect: He first heard of the fragment in the
middle of July, 1878. A shoilth, with several
Arabs of different tribes, came to him at his
place of business in Jerusalem on other mat
ters. The Shoikh had nothing to do with an
tiquities. They spoke of some little black
fragments of writing in the possession of an
Arab. They had been found in the neighbor-
hood of the Arnon. One of the Arabs spoke
of them as talismans. smelling of asphalt.
The day following Shapiro was invited to
dinner by the Sheikh, and heard more about
the fragments. About the year 1865, at
n time of persecution, certain Arabs had
hid themselves among rocks. There, on
the side of u rocky cavern, they found
several bundles wrapped in linen. Peel
ing of the covering they found only black
fragments which they threw away. They
were picked up by one of the Arabs, be-
lioving them to be talismans. He kept
them rs such and became rich, as he
thought, in consequence. This was prob
ably ten years or more before Shapiro
heard of them. Capt. Conder knows the
exact time. Shapiro promised the Sheikh
areward if he would bring to him an Arab
he spoke of who would be able to get hold
of the fragments. This happened the
day of the dinner. The Shekh fell i'll
and afterward died. About ten or twelve
days after the dinner aman Of the Aiayah
tribe brought to him a small piece, con-
tanning four columns. A few words only
were legible. week after lSunday) he
brought fourteen or fifteen columns, con-
tanning the clearer writing. The next
Sunday he brought fourteen or fifteen
more columns in another character of
writing, but not all of one form. Ten
days after he brought three or four col
umns, very black. Shapiro saw nothing
more of him..
After an interval Of four or five weeks
Shapiro wrote to Prof. Schlottmann, Sept
2l; soon after also to DIR. Rieu. The
writings were (sOme of them in better
= condition than at present. schlottmann
wrote that they were fabrications, and
blamed Shapiro for calling them sacred
text. Hes never saw the writings them
selves, only Shapira's copy. schlottmann
wrote in similar terms to the consul at
st. Jerusalem, Baron Won Munchausen, and
et. desired him to prevent Shapiro from
as. making the find public. Then Shapiro
wrote or telegraphed to DR.. Rieu that the
writings were torgcries, and that he was to
take no steps In respect to them. This he
did in consequence of Schlottman's Judgment
OF them, and the reasons on which it was
founded. He placed them in bank in Jeru-
salem. subsequently he began to reconsider
Schlottman's objections and he found that
they were partly grounded on mistakes
shapiro had made in deciphering the writing
He felt better able to Judge of them himself
because he had had more experience in manu-
scripts 1t was before Easter of the present
year that he re-examned them and he de-
ciphered them second time. Prof. Schroeder
consul in Beyrout, saw them in the middle of
huVV ,,I.
He wanted to purchase them. Shapiro took
the writings to Leipzig at the end of July to
have them photographed. Professors there
saw them. Dr. Hermann believed in them,
as did Prof Guthe, who intends to writo
about them. They had been smeared with
asphalt originally as q kind of embalmment.
They became subsequently, further darkened
by the use of oil and spirits. The oil was
used by tho Arabs to counteract the brittle
ness and to prevent their suffering from wet