Israel has acknowledged that an inscription in clay found in the country’s south bearing the name of Darius the Great, ruler of the ancient Persian Empire, was not authentic.
It was definitely just a mixup, although it was really irresponsible for that scholar to do that, both because people believed it was real when it wasn’t, but also because they both removed it from its location rather than leaving it in situ where it should have been left for future study and because they had no idea what the value of it would have been if it hadn’t been carved into.
Honestly, I hope they are never invited on another archaeological expedition.
It was definitely just a mixup, although it was really irresponsible for that scholar to do that, both because people believed it was real when it wasn’t, but also because they both removed it from its location rather than leaving it in situ where it should have been left for future study and because they had no idea what the value of it would have been if it hadn’t been carved into.
Honestly, I hope they are never invited on another archaeological expedition.