Whose Bones

Under the headline, “Digging for the Baptist,” the August 12, 2002 issue of Time magazine asked its readers: “Have archaeologists discovered the skeleton of John the Baptist?” Time’s answer: “It’s possible.”

A related story in the Associated Press asked in its headline, “Could they be remains of sect’s leader, or John the Baptist?”

These and other similar stories were based on a press release from the University of Hartford headed, “University of Hartford Archaeologist Finds Remains of Man Who May Be the Missing Link Between Judaism and Christianity.”