One crucial point that one would not expect the media to pick up on in headlining Stephen Pfann’s contention that the ossuary inscription reading: mariamene e mara (IAA 80.500 #701 in Rahmani’s catalogue) is actually two women: a Mariame and a Mara ( or Martha as he reads it), is that little letter or stroke “e” between the two names, which stands for the Greek letter “eta,” the feminine article.

It is a very clear indication in Greek of a double name for one individual, not for two names of two individuals. It is found, for example, at the the cemetery at Bet She’arim and it stands for “the also,” (eta kai), which means “also known as” (Schwabe and Lifshitz 1974: No. 101). Rachmani discusses this and gives examples and references. Pfann ignores it completely in his attempt to “correct” Rahmani.

It is quite instructive to work through the examples of the “double names” found in our various ossuary inscriptions. It is also worth noticing what sort of relationships are typically buried together in one ossuary.

Based on the Greek itself, and the DNA tests that showed one individual I remain convinced that the reading:

Mariamene [also known as] Mara/Mistress or Lady is the correct one, whoever this woman might have been.

I also find the inscription as a whole quite lovely and elegant, with the “John Hancock” style stroke along the bottom. It is not crude and broken into two hands as Pfann contends.

It would be good I think to separate the theology and any attempts at identification from the epigraphy. I don’t really care if the ossuary held one, two, or half a dozen folks, but I do think we want careful consideration given to how one reads an inscription before one goes to the press with headlines: Expert Shows Fatal Flaw in Tomb Theory.” As much as Simcha Jacobovici has been criticised for not seeking “peer review” for his theory, in the case of the epigraphy he went to the best people he could find. He did not attempt to read these names himself, and in his film he shows those experts offering their readings. Interpretation is another thing but getting the Greek straight before one goes to the press would be a good thing.

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