You are on page 1of 6

The Mystery of the Missing Pages of the Aleppo

Codex
%\<RVHI2IHU

'DYLG+DUULV%HQ=YL,QVWLWXWHLQWKH6KULQHRIWKH%RRN

2/'(67+(%5(:%,%/(1RWRQO\LVWKH$OHSSR&RGH[RUWKH&URZQWKHROGHVWVXUYLYLQJ+HEUHZ%LEOH
EXWLWLVDOVRFRQVLGHUHGWREHWKHPRVWDXWKRULWDWLYHFRS\&RPSLOHGE\$DURQEHQ$VKHU²DOHDGLQJ
0DVRUHWH²DURXQG&(WKH&URZQORVWDWKLUGRILWVOHDYHVVRPHWLPHEHWZHHQWKHWLPHRIWKHULRWVLQ
DQGLWVFXUUHQWVWDWHLQ,VUDHO)XQJDOGDPDJHLVYLVLEOHRQDVXUYLYLQJSDJHDWWKHERWWRPULJKWFRUQHU

7KHZRUOG¶VROGHVWDQGPRVWDXWKRULWDWLYHFRS\RIWKH+HEUHZ%LEOHUHSRVHGIRUPRUHWKDQKDOIDPLOOHQQLXP
LQDV\QDJRJXHLQ$OHSSR6\ULDEHIRUHLWZDVGHVHFUDWHGLQULRWVWKDWIROORZHGWKH8QLWHG1DWLRQVYRWHLQ
FDOOLQJIRUD-HZLVKVWDWHDQGDQ$UDEVWDWHLQWKH%ULWLVKPDQGDWHRI3DOHVWLQH.QRZQDVWKH$OHSSR
&RGH[²RUWKH&URZQRI$OHSSRRUVLPSO\WKH&URZQ²LWZDVWKHZRUNRIVFULEHVFDOOHG0DVRUHWHVLQ7LEHULDV
,VUDHORQWKH6HDRI*DOLOHHLQDERXW&(7KH&URZQFRQWDLQHGQRWRQO\WKHKRO\ZRUGVEXWDOVR
FDQWLOODWLRQPDUNVLQGLFDWLQJKRZWKH\VKRXOGEHFKDQWHGRWKHULQGLFDWLRQVRIKRZZRUGVVKRXOGEH
SURQRXQFHGDQGPDQ\IRRWQRWHV PDVRUD ODUJHDQGVPDOOFRPPHQWLQJRQWH[WXDOLVVXHV
)URP7LEHULDVWKH&URZQZHQWWR-HUXVDOHP7KHQLWZHQWWRDV\QDJRJXHLQ)XVWDWRXWVLGHRI&DLUR,WZDV
KHUHWKDWWKHJUHDW-HZLVKH[HJHWH0RVKHEHQ0DLPRQ EHWWHUNQRZQE\KLV*UHHNQDPH0DLPRQLGHV UHOLHG
RQLWLQFRPSRVLQJKLV0LVKQHK7RUDKWKHUHE\ILUPO\HVWDEOLVKLQJWKHSUHHPLQHQWDXWKRULW\RIWKH&URZQ

6RPHWLPHLQWKHVHFRQGKDOIRIWKHWKFHQWXU\WKH&URZQDSSHDUHGLQ$OHSSR,WLVQRWFOHDUKRZLWJRW
KHUHEXWKHUHLWDFTXLUHGLWVQDPHWKH&URZQRI$OHSSR DQGLWV+HEUHZQDPH.HWHU$UDP7]RYD 

:LOOLDP$5RVHQWKDOO-XGDLFD&ROOHFWLRQ6SHFLDO&ROOHFWLRQV&ROOHJHRI&KDUOHVWRQ

3,//$*($1'3/81'(56LQFHWKHILIWKFHQWXU\&(WKH*UHDW6\QDJRJXHVHUYHGDVWKHSULPDU\SODFHRI
-HZLVKZRUVKLSLQ$OHSSR,WKRXVHGWKH$OHSSR&RGH[IRUQHDUO\\HDUV7KLV)UHQFKSRVWFDUGVKRZVWKH
V\QDJRJXH¶VRSHQDLUFRXUW\DUGZKHUHSUD\HUVHUYLFHVWRRNSODFHZKHQWKHZHDWKHUZDVZDUP7RUDKVFUROOV
ZHUHKRXVHGLQDUFKHGDUNVRQWKHIDUVLGHRIWKHFRXUW\DUGRQHLVVHHQLQWKHOHIWEDFNJURXQGRIWKH
SRVWFDUGWKURXJKWKHODUJHZKLWHDUFKZD\,QWKHSRVWFDUG¶VFHQWHUVWDQGVDEHPDRUWHLYDKDUDLVHGSODWIRUP
XVHGIRUUHDGLQJ7RUDKVFUROOV
7KH*UHDW6\QDJRJXHRI$OHSSRZDVEDGO\GDPDJHGGXULQJWKHULRWV7KLVLPDJHVKRZVZKDWWKH
V\QDJRJXHORRNHGOLNHVKRUWO\DIWHUWKHVHDQWL6HPLWLFDWWDFNV1RWRQO\GLGWKHULRWHUVEXUQ7RUDKVFUROOV
DQGRWKHUVDFUHGLWHPVEXWWKH\DOVRVHL]HGWKH$OHSSR&RGH[²EUHDNLQJLQWRWKHORFNHGLURQFKHVWWKDW
KRXVHGLW6LQFHWKHUHZHUHQR-HZLVKZLWQHVVHVRIWKLVDWWDFNQRRQHNQRZVIRUFHUWDLQZKDWWKHPREGLG
ZLWKWKH$OHSSR&RGH[EXWZKHQWKH-HZVUHWXUQHGWRWKHV\QDJRJXHDIWHUWKHULRWVWKH\IRXQGWKHFRGH[RQ
WKHJURXQGZLWKSDJHVULSSHGIURPLW

,Q,ZURWHD%$5DUWLFOHDDERXWWKH&URZQ²UHFRXQWLQJLWVKLVWRU\WKHULRWVWKDWGDPDJHGDQGEXUQHG
SDUWRILWDQGKRZLWZDVUHVFXHGDQGWDNHQWR,VUDHOZKHUHLWLVQRZNHSWLQWKH6KULQHRIWKH%RRNRIWKH
,VUDHO0XVHXP%XWRQO\SDJHVRXWRIDQRULJLQDOSDJHVDUHKHUH:KHUHDUHWKHQHDUO\SDJHV
WKDWDUHPLVVLQJ"$OORI*HQHVLV([RGXV/HYLWLFXVDQG1XPEHUVDUHPLVVLQJRQO\WKHODVWSDJHVRI
'HXWHURQRP\DUHWKHUH$OVRPLVVLQJDUHDIHZSDJHVIURPWKH3URSKHWVDQGWKHODVWERRNVRIWKH:ULWLQJV
:KDWKDSSHQHGWRWKHP":HUHWKH\EXUQHG²RUVWROHQ",IWKHODWWHUZHUHWKH\WDNHQEHIRUHRUDIWHUWKH
&URZQOHIW6\ULD",IDIWHUZHUHWKH\VWROHQRQWKHZD\WR,VUDHOSHUKDSVLQ7XUNH\"2UZHUHWKH\VWROHQDIWHU
WKH&URZQDUULYHGLQ,VUDHO"

&RXUWHV\<RVHI2IHU)URP-6HJDOO7UDYHOVWKURXJK1RUWKHUQ6\ULD /RQGRQ

/267'(&$/2*8(7KLVSKRWRJUDSKIURPVKRZV'HXWHURQRP\±ZKLFKFRQWDLQVWKH7HQ
&RPPDQGPHQWV7KHVHSDJHVDUHQRZORVWDVLVDVXEVWDQWLDOSRUWLRQRIWKH$OHSSR&RGH[LQFOXGLQJWKH
ILUVWIRXUERRNVRIWKH3HQWDWHXFKDQGPRVWRIWKH%RRNRI'HXWHURQRP\ XSWR'HXWHURQRP\ 7KH
SKRWRJUDSKZDVWDNHQE\-RVHSK6HJDOODQGSXEOLVKHGLQKLVERRN7UDYHOVWKURXJK1RUWKHUQ6\ULD
,QLQYHVWLJDWLYHMRXUQDOLVW0DWWL)ULHGPDQZURWHDEHVWVHOOLQJERRNDERXWWKH&URZQWKDWFUHDWHGDQ
LQWHUQDWLRQDOVSODVK,PHWZLWK)ULHGPDQVHYHUDOWLPHVDVKHZDVZULWLQJKLVERRN0\LPSUHVVLRQLVWKDWKH
GLGDILUVWUDWHLQGHSWKLQYHVWLJDWLRQ+HH[SORUHGWKHSRVVLELOLW\WKDWWKH&URZQKDGQRWORVWLWVPLVVLQJ
SDJHVLQ6\ULD RULQ7XUNH\ EXWDIWHULWKDGDUULYHGLQ,VUDHO,QKHZURWHDSRVWEULQJLQJKLV
LQYHVWLJDWLRQXSWRGDWH$WDERXWWKLVWLPHDQRWKHU,VUDHOLUHSRUWHU<LIDW(UOLFKDOVRILOHGDQLQYHVWLJDWLYH
UHSRUW

,VLWSRVVLEOHWKDWDVXEVWDQWLDOQXPEHURIWKHPLVVLQJSDJHVRIWKH&URZQDUHIORDWLQJDURXQGVRPHZKHUHLQ
,VUDHO",W¶VYHU\XQOLNHO\$V)ULHGPDQ DQG(UOLFK FRQFHGHWKH\KDYH³WXUQHGXSQRVPRNLQJJXQ´+DUG
HYLGHQFHLVPLVVLQJ7KHFRQWHQWLRQLVWKDWLIWKH3HQWDWHXFKDQGRWKHUSDJHVZHUHDOUHDG\PLVVLQJEHIRUH
WKHGRFXPHQWODQGHGLQ,VUDHOWKLVZRXOGVXUHO\KDYHEHHQQRWLFHGDQGFRPPHQWHGRQLQWKHGHFDGH
EHWZHHQWKHULRWVDQGWKHWLPHLWDUULYHGLQ,VUDHOLQDVPXFKDVLWGRHVQRWDSSHDUWRKDYHEHHQQRWLFHGWKH
PLVVLQJSDJHVRIWKH&URZQPXVWKDYHEHHQVWROHQLQ,VUDHO

:KHQWKH&URZQDUULYHGLQ,VUDHODGHFDGHDIWHUWKHULRWVLQ6\ULDLWZDVJLYHQWRWKHKHDGRIWKH-HZLVK
$JHQF\¶VLPPLJUDWLRQGHSDUWPHQW6KORPR=DOPDQ6KUDJDL+HKHOGLWIRUPRUHWKDQWZRZHHNV+HZRXOG
VXUHO\KDYHQRWLFHGWKDWIRXUERRNVRIWKH3HQWDWHXFKZHUHPLVVLQJVRWKHDUJXPHQWJRHVEXWKHUHWRR
WKHUHLVQRZULWWHQUHFRUGRI6KUDJDL¶VKDYLQJQRWLFHGWKHPLVVLQJSDJHV6RWKH&URZQPXVWKDYHDUULYHGLQ
,VUDHOZLWKWKHQRZPLVVLQJSDJHV²DQGWKH\ZHUHVWROHQWKHUHDIWHUDFFRUGLQJWR)ULHGPDQ6KUDJDLKDV
VLQFHGLHGEXW)ULHGPDQEHOLHYHVDGRFXPHQWWHVWLI\LQJWRWKH&URZQ¶VDUULYDOLQ,VUDHOLQWDFWGRHVH[LVWLW
³DOPRVWFHUWDLQO\H[LVWVVRPHZKHUH´

7KHUHLVKRZHYHUZKDW)ULHGPDQFDOOV³DVHFRQGKDQGDFFRXQW´,QFRQQHFWLRQZLWKD79GRFXPHQWDU\
6KUDJDLWROGLQWHUYLHZHU5DIL6XWWRQLQWKDWZKHQWKH&URZQZDVGHOLYHUHGWRKLP\HDUVHDUOLHULWZDV
ZKROHH[FHSWIRUDVPDOOQXPEHURISDJHV7KDWZDVDOVRWKHLPSUHVVLRQRI6KUDJDL¶VVRQ2YDGLDKZKRZDV
KRPHWKHQLJKWRIWKHLQWHUYLHZ7KHPHPRU\RIDFKLOGRIWHQ\HDUVDIWHUWKHHYHQWKRZHYHULV
TXHVWLRQDEOHWRVD\WKHOHDVW

,ILQGHHG6KUDJDL ZKREHFDPHDPHPEHURIWKHERDUGRIWUXVWHHVRIWKH&URZQ NQHZWKDWSDJHVRIWKH


&URZQZHUHORVWLQ,VUDHODQGGLGQ¶WWHOODQ\RQHKHKLPVHOIZRXOGEHDSDUWQHUWRWKLVFULPH

<HWKLVVLOHQFHVSHDNVYROXPHVWKHSDJHVZHUHHYLGHQWO\PLVVLQJZKHQ6KUDJDLILUVWVDZWKH&URZQ

2QHPRUHVWHS7KH&URZQZDVDOVRH[DPLQHGE\3UHVLGHQW<LW]KDN%HQ=YLZKHQLWILUVWHQWHUHGWKH
FRXQWU\,ILQGHHGWKH&URZQUHDFKHGKLPFRQWDLQLQJPRVWRIWKH3HQWDWHXFKSDJHVKHZRXOGVXUHO\KDYH
QRWLFHGZKHQKHODWHUH[DPLQHGWKH&URZQWKDWWKHVHSDJHVKDGGLVDSSHDUHG,QIDFW%HQ=YLPDGHJUHDW
HIIRUWVWRILQGWKHPLVVLQJSDJHVDFWLYDWLQJ,VUDHOLGLSORPDWVDQGLQWHOOLJHQFHDJHQWVDOORYHUWKHZRUOG'LG
KHGRDOOWKLVNQRZLQJWKDWPRVWRIWKHVHSDJHVGLVDSSHDUHGXQGHUKLVRZQSRVVHVVLRQ"+DUGO\

,Q6XWWRQDOVRLQWHUYLHZHGDOHDGLQJ$OHSSRUDEELQDPHG<LW]KDN&KHKHEDUZKRKDGPRYHGWR%XHQRV
$LUHV5DEEL&KHKHEDUKDGVHHQWKH&URZQLQ$OHSSRLQILYH\HDUVDIWHUWKHULRWVDQGVL[\HDUVEHIRUHLW
ZDVVPXJJOHGWR,VUDHO+HUHLVWKHFRQYHUVDWLRQ

5DEEL&KHKHEDU,WZDVPLVVLQJDIHZSDJHVWKDWSHUKDSVIHOOWRWKHJURXQGDQGZHUHEXUQHGEXWQRWWRWKLV
H[WHQWQRWKXQGUHGVRISDJHV

6XWWRQ0LVVLQJDUH*HQHVLV([RGXV/HYLWLFXV1XPEHUVDQGKDOIWKH%RRNRI'HXWHURQRP\
5DEEL&KHKHEDU,VDZWKDWLWZDVPLVVLQJDIHZSDJHV1RWWKDWPDQ\SDJHV

6XWWRQ<RXPHDQLQGLYLGXDOSDJHV"

5DEEL&KHKHEDU,QGLYLGXDOSDJHV1RWHYHQGR]HQVZHUHPLVVLQJ

,WVHHPVWRPHWKDWLQWKLVWHVWLPRQ\6XWWRQLVWU\LQJWRSXWZRUGVLQ5DEEL&KHKHEDU¶VPRXWK,DP
UHLQIRUFHGLQWKHEHOLHIWKDWWKLVWHVWLPRQ\LVXQUHOLDEOHE\DZULWWHQDFFRXQWJLYHQE\5DEEL&KHKHEDUEHIRUH
 SUREDEO\ZULWWHQLQZKHQWKH&URZQZDVVWLOOLQ$OHSSR WKDWLVSUHVHUYHGLQWKHDUFKLYHVRI
<LW]KDN%HQ=YL,WLVWLWOHG³'HWDLOVRQWKH7DQDNKPDQXVFULSWNQRZQDVWKH$OHSSR&RGH[DVZULWWHQIURP
P\PHPRU\´+HVWDWHV³7KXVEHFDXVHRIVLQVDOOWKRVHERRNVZHUHORVWLQWKHULRWVDQGQRQHRIWKHP
UHPDLQHGH[FHSWRQHDQFLHQWRQH>LHWKH&URZQ@DQGZHGLGQRWNQRZKRZLWVXUYLYHGWKHGHVWUXFWLRQEXW
SDJHVZHUHPLVVLQJIURPLWLQGLIIHUHQWSDUWVRIWKH7DQDNK>WKH%LEOH@DQGLWZDVPLVVLQJQHDUO\RQHTXDUWHU´
>(PSKDVLVVXSSOLHG@

,QP\RSLQLRQWKLVWHVWLPRQ\ZKLFKSUREDEO\JRHVEDFNWRLVIDUVWURQJHUWKDQ5DEEL&KHKHEDU¶V
VWDWHPHQWGHFDGHVODWHUWRDWHOHYLVLRQLQWHUYLHZHUZKRLVWU\LQJWRJXLGHKLVWHVWLPRQ\

,DPUHPLQGHGRIVRPHWKLQJ3URIHVVRU-RVKXD%ODXZKRZDVSUHVLGHQWRIWKH+HEUHZ/DQJXDJH$FDGHP\
WROGPH+HLVQRZLQKLVVEXWKLVPLQGLVVWLOOVKDUSDQGFOHDU³$WRXUDJHRXUPHPRU\LPSURYHV:H
HYHQUHPHPEHUWKLQJVWKDWGLGQRWKDSSHQ´

7ZRRWKHUPDWWHUVDQLPDWHWKRVHZKROLNH)ULHGPDQDQG(UOLFKEHOLHYHWKHPLVVLQJSDJHVRIWKH&URZQOLH
KLGGHQVRPHZKHUHLQ,VUDHO RUWKH8QLWHG6WDWHV 

7KHILUVWLQYROYHVWKHTXHVWLRQRIZKRRZQVWKH&URZQ7KHRSSRVLQJFODLPDQWVDUHWKH6WDWHRI,VUDHODQG
WKH-HZLVKFRPPXQLW\RI$OHSSR7KHGLVSXWHZDVELWWHUDQGLQYROYHGDOHQJWK\WULDOLQD-HUXVDOHPUDEELQLFDO
FRXUWWKDWZDVILQDOO\VHWWOHGE\DQDJUHHPHQWEHWZHHQWKHSDUWLHVLQZKLFKWKH&URZQZDVHQWUXVWHGWR
-HUXVDOHP¶V%HQ=YL,QVWLWXWH$ERDUGRIWUXVWHHVZDVDSSRLQWHGWRVXSHUYLVHLWLQFOXGLQJPDQ\
UHSUHVHQWDWLYHVRIWKH$OHSSRFRPPXQLW\LQ,VUDHO7KHGLVSXWHZDVSDLQIXOWRHYHU\RQHDQGWKRVHLQYROYHG
LQLWKDYHQRLQFOLQDWLRQWRUHYLVLWLW

7KHVHFRQGPDWWHULVHYHQPRUHHPEDUUDVVLQJDQGLQYROYHV0HLU%HQD\DKXDIRUPHUGLUHFWRURIWKH%HQ=YL
,QVWLWXWHZKRRZQHGDODUJHFROOHFWLRQRIUDUH+HEUHZERRNV%HQD\DKXKDGEHHQFKDUJHGZLWKWKHWKHIWRID
QXPEHURIERRNVWKDWKDGYDQLVKHGIURPWKH,QVWLWXWH¶VFROOHFWLRQV+HUHVLJQHGLQDPLGDOHJDOEDWWOH
IRUFRQWURORIWKH,QVWLWXWHDQGGLHGLQ1RRQHZDQWVWRWDONDERXWWKLVHSLVRGH²ZKLFKKRZHYHURQO\
DURXVHVWKHVXVSLFLRQVRI)ULHGPDQDQG(UOLFK

)URPWKHUHOXFWDQFHRIWKHSDUWLHVWRUHYLVLWWKHVHPDWWHUV)ULHGPDQDQG(UOLFKGUDZFRQFOXVLRQVDERXWWKH
PLVVLQJSDJHVRIWKH&URZQVSHFXODWLQJWKDWWKHPLVVLQJSDJHVDUHEXULHGVRPHZKHUHE\VRPHQHIDULRXV
FKDUDFWHUVLQ,VUDHO7RP\PLQGLWLVXQIRXQGHG,WLVDSXUHJXHVVXQVXSSRUWHGE\DQ\KDUGHYLGHQFH

,GRQ¶WEHOLHYHWKDWDVXLWFDVHFRQWDLQLQJKXQGUHGVRISDJHVIURPWKH&URZQH[LVWVVRPHZKHUHLQWKHZRUOG
7KHPDMRULW\RIWKHORVWSDJHVGLVDSSHDUHGLQ$OHSSRDIWHUWKHULRWV7UXHLQGLYLGXDOSDJHVRIWKH&URZQPD\
\HWWXUQXS%XWWKHJHQHUDWLRQWKDWZDVDFWLYH\HDUVDJRLVJRQH0D\EHRQHRIWKHPJDYHVRPHWKLQJWR
WKHQH[WJHQHUDWLRQ%XWWKHFKDQFHRIRXUILQGLQJDQ\WKLQJQHZGHFUHDVHV\HDUE\\HDU

)RRWQRWHV

D<RVHI2IHU³7KH6KDWWHUHG&URZQ´%$5
(QGQRWHV

0DWWL)ULHGPDQ7KH$OHSSR&RGH[$7UXH6WRU\RI2EVHVVLRQ)DLWKDQGWKH3XUVXLWRIDQ$QFLHQW%LEOH
&KDSHO+LOO1&$OJRQTXLQ%RRNVRI&KDSHO+LOO 

)ULHGPDQ$OHSSR&RGH[S

Reference for this article


2IHU<RVHI³7KH0\VWHU\RIWKH0LVVLQJ3DJHVRIWKH$OHSSR&RGH[´%LEOLFDO$UFKDHRORJ\5HYLHZ
 -XO$XJ KWWSPHPEHUVELEDUFKRUJSXEOLFDWLRQDVS"
3XE,' %6%$ 9ROXPH  ,VVXH  $UWLFOH,'  DFFHVVHG

You might also like