Man may have solved riddle

TYRELL ALBIN

Jim Barfield's story sounds like it came straight out of a Hollywood blockbuster: a cryptic ancient scroll written in Hebrew and Greek, treasure hidden beneath lonely ruins in a Middle Eastern desert, biblical history and modern political intrigue.

But make no mistake: Barfield's tale is real.

The retired Lawton assistant fire marshal and instructor at Comanche Nation College believes he has solved a mystery that has baffled historians and archaeologists since 1952. The amateur historian has a theory about the meaning of the Copper Scroll, one of the Dead Sea Scrolls that is a written treasure map. It was written around the 6th century B.C. and tells the reader in coded language how to find the hidden treasures of the first Jewish Temple, built by King Solomon. The scroll was written on a sheet of copper, which made unrolling it after its discovery very difficult. It is currently on display at the Archaeological Museum in Amman, Jordan, but photocopies of its contents are readily available.

Value exceeds $1 billion

The value of the treasure trove described in the scroll would exceed $1 billion dollars at current market values, Barfield said.

But the real value of the treasure is historical and spiritual. The hidden treasures include the tabernacle, a portable house of worship the Hebrews carried with them in the wilderness after the biblical exodus from Egypt, and all of the treasures described as being in the tabernacle - including holy serving vessels of gold and silver; the ephod, a ceremonial breastplate worn by the high priest of the Israelites; the altar from the Holy of Holies; many pounds of gold and silver bars from the temple treasury; and possibly the Ark of the Covenant, if a reference in the Book of Maccabees is correct.

While most people who have tried to solve the riddle of the Copper Scroll believe that the treasures are scattered throughout the area, Barfield has drawn a different conclusion through the application of his investigative experience and a basic knowledge of Hebrew.