So Robert Cargill posted another theory about the ball base of the figure on the Jonah Ossuary, which I believe is on the right track.
When I read over it, it suddenly hit me: Perspective.
So I did a bit of perspective adjustment, myself... and guess what I found?
Below are the steps I took, as well as the assumptions I've made:
Step 1:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ5uw58Bg0C5QgyzYfEt4UCtVw0gdlpG5oS9enDcKD0YI9lWRoPGbd4K5xefmDFF33TVAu0s6mPpdZNJ1dNUrgFXpgaqxB_88NbG5ijc4W9O8RW0Tr2Aj2NJJkNB23QR3Bc6bQDl1IWSY/s320/OriginalBase.jpg) |
The original image, labeled "no cgi." |
Step 2:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj12yrCBNz3nt1obs_4vbsh-t__Fw9rvGbvIz2dGJqsspYYFONg-QPlQVQqGMUoKMtEf5oHv0Go0joeMEWkdeHvga6T3aXB6qQhFPegZK8bsLMrOMHrv5aMPvNIsz_iAjsA6KXJVxubAAk/s320/OriginalBaseRotated.jpg) |
I rotated it so that the border at the bottom was flat.
I believe that this was the intention of the artist
and is a safe assumption that it was meant to be a baseline.
I also marked the a stroke on the inscription
that I assume was meant to be vertical.
It runs right down the center of the figure. |
Step 3:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOhbkzk5WH1N1XXpxdvJD_e0asTsgC9tol9lQhl7MDhGqIkEBXWQ69a3WX6CM27JubwDwkuVa5In9zbS5blD7OCBjdYcNoqKKLfje4aJJY97LVVW3dOFldXbD4JSVx_JLbGnhNDrKjwg8/s320/OriginalBaseRotatedAspectAdjusted.jpg) |
I then, adjusted the aspect so that the two lines were perpendicular. |
Step 4:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDj7iGM5t0EL5_isW-ycMUjuSIyiY4jOdErP4-Pp8gXfJg_P0P0odRzMj0sSGX_XUc_nfCrNJojjwQY4lS4Z5mLPij8Y_WRaKQfvNJL2s3NGpn6l6mcLV4mRCpAA1wRq98lFNEK_CCZZw/s320/OriginalBaseRotatedAspectAdjustedCloseup.jpg) |
What does the "ball" at the base look like NOW? |
|
My Conclusion:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmF_RdQJCxJx1BCAc_79my51Of1_uQskTP3Xt6h9KmYuFSybd1bhsIrJu7WcMx6FjTRU2H7mYDXkt8lGFhbECtzrZELXJpwHdwzS29jhEXJAkzNNvLC__4VgVf8AmHwGpjTdYPIKqDTbM/s1600/BasePossibility.jpg) |
Something like this is my guess.
The base of a vessel.
|
Peace,
-Steve
UPDATE: This article may have disappeared for about 10-15 minutes due to a mistake I made with the new blogger interface. Needless to explain, it's back. :-)
IMPORTANT UPDATE: Further developments on the shape of the "head of Jonah" now show it to be quite flat, and that the image is much more vessel-like than fish like when taken in its proper aspect and size. See:
The entire figure corrected for aspect ratio and distortion:
http://aramaicdesigns.blogspot.com/2012/03/little-bit-more-perspective-patio-tomb.html
How many of the photographs and reproductions aren't faithful representations of what is actually on the ossuary:
http://aramaicdesigns.blogspot.com/2012/04/unfaithful-representation.htmlLabels: james tabor, jonah ossuary, pottery, robert cargill, simcha jacobovici, The Jesus Discovery, The Resurrection Tomb Mystery