ABOUT THE COPPER SCROLL PROJECT
The Project’s Inception
Oklahoma winters are bitterly cold, especially the predawn morning of the 21st of December 2006. Sitting at my desk wrapped in a blanket I turned on my computer and waited. Realizing my research into the era of Jeremiah was complete, I hesitated. Staring at the flickering monitor Vendyl Jones came to mind. This, I thought, was a perfect time to try something different, something that haunted me since meeting the Texas gentleman months prior. The old guy, love him or hate him, had some interesting things to say about a strange set of copper scrolls from Qumran; details that inspired me to reconsider its role in Biblical history. In all my years of studying the Dead Sea Scrolls, that scroll seemed a waste of energy; it made no sense and honestly, bored me to tears.
My desire to “try something different” increased rapidly as thoughts of my first conversation with the Texan came drifting back. I remembered respectfully stating to Vendyl my low opinion of the scroll, “Isn’t the Copper Scroll just a treasure map?” The self-made archaeologist slowly glanced at me, lit his ivory pipe and pushed himself out of his massive recliner saying, “No sir. That is where you are sadly mistaken. That scroll has more prophecy in the first line than all the other non-Biblical texts put together. We had better check on dinner.” Vendyl continued to correct me as we walked onto his patio to examine the remains of a grilled turkey, burnt nearly beyond hope. We had just met, he was the scroll expert, so…who was I to argue?
Vendyl and his wife Anita were wonderful hosts to my family as we spent the weekend listening to him tell us, mostly about his colorful life. His stories, however egocentric, were fascinating and very entertaining but what he told me about the Copper Scroll changed my view forever.
So, that December morning, six months after meeting Vendyl I decided to go for it and apply some investigative techniques on the old scroll and see where it led. After all, I was an award-winning investigator, no one would ever know if the idea failed and what could it hurt? As the book containing the translation fell open across my keyboard the thought came to me, this has got to be the biggest cold case file in history.
What you are about to hear may seem completely impossible, but I promise you it is true. Twenty minutes after examining the translation everything was falling into place. I selected the right map and one after the other each of the first five locations was completely understandable. I was baffled… How did all those scholars miss the obvious and, more importantly, how was I ever going to convince the Israelis that a fireman from Lawton, Oklahoma had figured out the most important and mysterious document in the Middle East?
A month after the initial discovery, with a small stack of notes, maps and a heavy bomber jacket under my arm, my wife and I were on a plane headed for Israel. My life was about to change.
In Retrospect
Established the night of the initial discovery, The Copper Scroll Project developed a simple mission statement, “Help The Nation of Israel recover the items of the Copper Scroll.”
Recorded in the CSP Research book detailing the individual treasure locations are multiple maps with photos and text providing proof for all 57 locations listed. That document has easily convinced many throughout the world that the research is correct and that it will guide Israel back to the treasures, fulfilling our stated mission, if they still remain.
Lining the back page of the original research, protected by dozens of Nondisclosure Agreements, are signatures of readers who gave numeric scores for the accuracy of the work. None gave a score below 93 percent that the research conclusions are correct. The Travel Channel, television news stations, Israel National Radio, The Jerusalem Post, The Jerusalem Connection Magazine, God’s Learning Channel and many local newspapers have reported the discovery. Even the Director General of the Israeli Antiquities Authority (IAA) and members of his staff gave positive reviews of the investigative findings. An Israeli archaeologist from the Archaeological Department of the Civil Administration even initiated an excavation marking three of the locations. For some unexplained reason, the ADCA official stopped far short of the depth required by the Copper Scroll.
Stories similar to the CS and the back story of The Copper Scroll Project are the life-blood of books, movies and the unwritten history of the Bible. Amazing hoards of talents (75lb gold and silver ingots) are arranged in deep trenches. Along with those talents are possibly the most important religious artifacts in history. Those artifacts will create instant fame and great temptation for even the most disciplined scholar to abandon required archaeological protocols.
If those artifacts remain at the selected site, they will defy even the most eloquent words expressing their importance for every religion on Earth. When the items are uncovered, Levitical Priests and their authorized family members alone can provide the proper handling and care as required by the Tanach (the Old Testament). Those men qualified to handle the artifacts are available, trained and ready if the Israeli government will allow it. Compliance with Biblical requirements will be paramount for all concerned. Future records will speak favorably of our actions and handling of the relics “only if” we conform to scriptural necessities. In fact, the world must understand, the treasures of the Copper Scroll belong with Israel and no other nation.