Finally, the news so many of you have been asking! We have signed a deal with a studio in Los Angeles, who have confirmed that Bloodline will come out in cinemas this Spring. We will post details of where and when on the site in a couple of weeks, so stay in touch. If you have not done so already, please register on this site for email notices about this and other Bloodline news and events.
In the meantime, the work continues as the team pursues analysis on some of their findings.
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
Hand-writing expert Confirms Hammott’s clues were written by Sauniere
Ben Hammott, (www.benhammott.com) along with author Rat Scabies (www.ratscabies.com)and Rennes researcher Andrew Gough of the Arcadia website (www.andrewgough.com) met with handwriting expert Emma Bache in London before Christmas for her analysis of the written clues that were inside the bottles Ben had discovered.
Ben Hammott, Rat Scabies and Emma Bache
Previously Emma had been approched by Rat Scabies to do analysis on Sauniere’s writing for his book Rat Scabies and the Holy Grail.
Ben brought some known samples of Sauniere’s hand-writing to compare alongside the clues.
Comparing the message found in the second bottle, purportedly signed by Sauniere, and another known letter of his, Bache said:
“…yes, these two do look like they were written by the same person. It’s very likely that they were….you've got the same down strokes and certainly the signature is the same...I’d say they were, yes....and given that the text (of message 2) fills the whole page, it’s indicative of someone who was very agitated and determined to get their point across to others...the whole obsessive compulsive nature of his manner is showing more than ever…he wants to get his message across.”
Pressed by Rat Scabies for more about what the writing says about the author’s character, she went on to say,
“I would say that he’s got a form of OCD, not an easy character, very stubborn, learned but very stubborn…strong willpower…and full of angst…the key strokes are heavy indicating that he held the pen strongly.”
Ben also showed Emma a selection of the priest’s signatures, some from the clues and some from other known documents, and asked her to pick the ones she thought were genuine.
After careful analysis, and without knowing which came from which source, she chose the signatures she thought as being genuine. Two of those came from the messages Hammott found.
Ben said :
“This is great news. We now have some expert analysis that these could well have been written by Sauniere. I’ve always said I thought all the clues and the bottles were left by the priest so someone could follow in his footsteps…”
Differences—and similarities—in style and execution can be very subtle for an untrained eye. Rat Scabies explained, “When you first compare Ben’s clues with the priest’s known handwriting, it’s hard to see the similarities, but Emma can look beyond that and analyze minute inflections, key strokes and other signs. She thinks it could be Sauniere.”
Bache, a well known UK graphologist, has worked with BBC Television and Radio as well as many independent programs and stations. Her journalistic work covers most of the UK's major newspapers and a wide range of magazines and publications.
Andrew Gough added
“I have spent some time with Emma and I have a lot of respect for the way she approaches her craft. She is very professional and totally unbiased” said Andrew Gough, adding, “This is a good result for Ben. The importance of the clues was always going to be subject to some examination, so this is a good first step.”
Ben Hammott, Rat Scabies and Emma Bache
Previously Emma had been approched by Rat Scabies to do analysis on Sauniere’s writing for his book Rat Scabies and the Holy Grail.
Ben brought some known samples of Sauniere’s hand-writing to compare alongside the clues.
Comparing the message found in the second bottle, purportedly signed by Sauniere, and another known letter of his, Bache said:
“…yes, these two do look like they were written by the same person. It’s very likely that they were….you've got the same down strokes and certainly the signature is the same...I’d say they were, yes....and given that the text (of message 2) fills the whole page, it’s indicative of someone who was very agitated and determined to get their point across to others...the whole obsessive compulsive nature of his manner is showing more than ever…he wants to get his message across.”
Pressed by Rat Scabies for more about what the writing says about the author’s character, she went on to say,
“I would say that he’s got a form of OCD, not an easy character, very stubborn, learned but very stubborn…strong willpower…and full of angst…the key strokes are heavy indicating that he held the pen strongly.”
Ben also showed Emma a selection of the priest’s signatures, some from the clues and some from other known documents, and asked her to pick the ones she thought were genuine.
After careful analysis, and without knowing which came from which source, she chose the signatures she thought as being genuine. Two of those came from the messages Hammott found.
Ben said :
“This is great news. We now have some expert analysis that these could well have been written by Sauniere. I’ve always said I thought all the clues and the bottles were left by the priest so someone could follow in his footsteps…”
Differences—and similarities—in style and execution can be very subtle for an untrained eye. Rat Scabies explained, “When you first compare Ben’s clues with the priest’s known handwriting, it’s hard to see the similarities, but Emma can look beyond that and analyze minute inflections, key strokes and other signs. She thinks it could be Sauniere.”
Bache, a well known UK graphologist, has worked with BBC Television and Radio as well as many independent programs and stations. Her journalistic work covers most of the UK's major newspapers and a wide range of magazines and publications.
Andrew Gough added
“I have spent some time with Emma and I have a lot of respect for the way she approaches her craft. She is very professional and totally unbiased” said Andrew Gough, adding, “This is a good result for Ben. The importance of the clues was always going to be subject to some examination, so this is a good first step.”
Top Israeli archaeologist dates chest contents to 1st Century
In early December 2007, Ben Hammott and Bruce flew to London and met with leading Israeli archaeologist Dr Gabriel Barkay of Bar Ilan University in Jerusalem. Gaby, as he is known, is one of the world’s most respected authorities on 1st and 2nd Temple period relics and, although they had already been examined and dated by the British Museum, they wanted him to analyze the contents of the wooden chest; namely the cup, the ointment jar, the glass vial and the collection of coins.
Dr Gabriel Barkay and Ben Hammott
Barkay confirmed that all three objects were 100% authentic ancient relics that had originated in or around the 1st century BC in Judaea, possibly Jerusalem.
He confirmed the British Museum’s view that the small pottery vase was an ungenterea or ointment vessel, which was mainly used to fragrance a tomb.
Dr Gabriel Barkay examining the Cup and Vase
Remember that the Serpent Rouge document which is held at the National Library in Paris, mentions ‘the sweet smelling perfume’ coming from ‘the tomb of a lost queen’ called “madeleine’.
3 Aries
In my difficult pilgrimage I was trying to hack my way through the dense vegetation of the woods with my sword. I wanted to reach the abode of the sleeping beauty in whom some poets can see the queen of a lost kingdom. Desperate to find the way, I was aided by the parchments of my friend, being for me like Ariadne's thread.
7 Leo
The scent of the perfume, whom I wish to liberate, which fills her tomb, , mounts upwards towards me. Long ago she was named Isis, queen of the benevolent spring, come to me all COME TO ME ALL YOU WHO LABOUR AND ARE HEAVY LADEN AND I WILL COMFORT YOU. Others knew her as MAGDALENE with the celebrated vase of healing balm. The initiates knew her true name: OUR LADY OF THE CROSSES.
Dr Barkay also said that the small glass vial was known as an alabastra which was early roman glass imitating alabaster. Inside was the small piece of rolled parchment. Of course Mary Magdalene is often depicted with an alabaster jar or vase.
The Glass Vial
Again, concurring with the analysis from the British Museum, Dr Barkay identified coins that dated back to 1st century BC, through to 1st century AD at the time of Jesus and Mary Magdalene, down to the 5th century in Constantinople, right through to a coin from the Crusades in the 12th century. There were 30 coins in total.
Close up of one of the coins showing both sides
(See images of some of the other coins below)
So now we know, thanks to the British Museum and Dr Barkay, that the objects are 100% genuine. But the question is, how did they find their way from 1st century Judea into this chest buried in a cave across the valley from Rennes-le-Chateau?
And why did the clue, possibly written by Sauniere, call them the ‘cup of Jesus and Mary’ & ‘the anointing jar’ ?
Dr Barkay said :
“It’s very interesting. I’m very happy that I saw it with my own eyes….it is possible, it would be not out of the question that artifacts excavated by the Templars in Palestine or even in Temple Mount would find a way to Europe. The finds in this chest are really intriguing and it is really something that inflames the imagination. But whether it is connected to the historical Jesus or not, time will tell…”
Dr Gabriel Barkay and Ben Hammott
Barkay confirmed that all three objects were 100% authentic ancient relics that had originated in or around the 1st century BC in Judaea, possibly Jerusalem.
He confirmed the British Museum’s view that the small pottery vase was an ungenterea or ointment vessel, which was mainly used to fragrance a tomb.
Dr Gabriel Barkay examining the Cup and Vase
Remember that the Serpent Rouge document which is held at the National Library in Paris, mentions ‘the sweet smelling perfume’ coming from ‘the tomb of a lost queen’ called “madeleine’.
3 Aries
In my difficult pilgrimage I was trying to hack my way through the dense vegetation of the woods with my sword. I wanted to reach the abode of the sleeping beauty in whom some poets can see the queen of a lost kingdom. Desperate to find the way, I was aided by the parchments of my friend, being for me like Ariadne's thread.
7 Leo
The scent of the perfume, whom I wish to liberate, which fills her tomb, , mounts upwards towards me. Long ago she was named Isis, queen of the benevolent spring, come to me all COME TO ME ALL YOU WHO LABOUR AND ARE HEAVY LADEN AND I WILL COMFORT YOU. Others knew her as MAGDALENE with the celebrated vase of healing balm. The initiates knew her true name: OUR LADY OF THE CROSSES.
Dr Barkay also said that the small glass vial was known as an alabastra which was early roman glass imitating alabaster. Inside was the small piece of rolled parchment. Of course Mary Magdalene is often depicted with an alabaster jar or vase.
The Glass Vial
Again, concurring with the analysis from the British Museum, Dr Barkay identified coins that dated back to 1st century BC, through to 1st century AD at the time of Jesus and Mary Magdalene, down to the 5th century in Constantinople, right through to a coin from the Crusades in the 12th century. There were 30 coins in total.
Close up of one of the coins showing both sides
(See images of some of the other coins below)
So now we know, thanks to the British Museum and Dr Barkay, that the objects are 100% genuine. But the question is, how did they find their way from 1st century Judea into this chest buried in a cave across the valley from Rennes-le-Chateau?
And why did the clue, possibly written by Sauniere, call them the ‘cup of Jesus and Mary’ & ‘the anointing jar’ ?
Dr Barkay said :
“It’s very interesting. I’m very happy that I saw it with my own eyes….it is possible, it would be not out of the question that artifacts excavated by the Templars in Palestine or even in Temple Mount would find a way to Europe. The finds in this chest are really intriguing and it is really something that inflames the imagination. But whether it is connected to the historical Jesus or not, time will tell…”
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