Read Online The Testimonium by Lewis Ben Smith - Free Book Online

and rather small. We were a bit shaky ourselves by that point! But what we were able to read was a signature that was large enough and bold enough to be legible. It is the signature of Tiberius Caesar.”
    Although Bernardo had already been told what they found, actually looking at the ancient document took his breath away. The other two team members were too stunned to speak for a moment. Finally Father MacDonald spoke up. “This is an incredible find, but that papyrus needs to be stabilized immediately. The longer it is exposed to the air the harder it will be to preserve. May I step inside?”
    Isabella stepped back a bit and let him in to look at the ancient text. He carefully studied it from every angle, then took a very fine-bladed pen knife and tried to insert it under one corner of the letter for the slightest fraction of an inch. Then he turned to the others. “I was afraid of this. The lacquer on the tabletop has bonded to the papyrus, and there is not going to be any easy way to detach the sheet from this table. I will have to move the whole thing to the lab and work on it there—which means that the other artifacts will have to be removed from the tabletop and all the stone dust cleared from it as well. Simone, I presume you will want to take some samples from the remaining undisturbed dust layer first?”
    Apriceno stepped forward. “It looks like all their samples were carefully collected and labeled, but I am going to remove dust from the undisturbed areas of the tabletop to be certain. At that point you can remove the other items from the tabletop and carry them all to the mobile lab. Then I’ll need to chase all of you out of here while I get samples from every other surface inside the chamber. Ideally, that dust should be identical in makeup to that which you removed from the tabletop, which will confirm the antiquity of the chamber and a lack of any tampering with the site.”
    Isabella nodded. “I don’t see any problem with that,” she said. “I think cleaning, cataloguing, and studying the other pieces will take up the next couple of days. Hopefully when Dr. Apriceno finishes collecting all her samples we can vacuum out the chamber and get a look at what lies under all this lovely ancient stone dust.”
    They stepped out of the chamber to let the pollen specialist collect her samples. For some time they discussed the site’s potential, and the best means of curating what had been found so far. After some time Dr. Guioccini’s phone buzzed, and he glanced at the incoming text message. “It seems Dr. Parker will arrive at Capodichino Airport in Naples at six PM. I’ve directed the chopper pilot who delivered us to pick him up there, so our team will be complete by the end of the day. So while we are waiting for Dr. Apriceno to complete her work, let’s finish getting the mobile lab set up.”
    The four archeologists entered the lab. The equipment had all been secured for transport, and for the next hour or so they unbuckled straps, adjusted sensitive equipment, and opened various cabinets to check the instruments within. Rossini plugged the main power line into a small but powerful portable generator and started it up. MacDonald took a quick inventory of the chemicals he would need, and then lowered the viewing hood he would be using to study what they were already calling the “Tiberius manuscript.” Guioccini walked around the small trailer, checking to see that everything they needed would be there, and listing the items that would have to be flown in. Once the mobile lab was set up, he asked the three to step outside.
    “I will be leaving on the chopper that brings Dr. Parker in,” he said. “For the time being I will be operating out of the Antiquities Bureau office in Naples. I want updates on any new discoveries, and any progress made with the ones already documented. Hopefully in a few days we can make some kind of public statement. This is already a remarkable find and has the