Write about a visit to the Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum; new exhibit on Biblical artifacts

Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum / Shreveport
Originally uploaded by trudeau.

Independent work: write a description of the best material seen in a visit to Karpeles Museum, corner of Centenary Blvd and Atkins St. (one block north of King's Hwy).

Says Times writer Diane Haag:

The history of Judaism and Christianity unfolds in documents and coins in the latest exhibit to open at Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum in Shreveport.

"The Bible," an exhibit that will be on display through December, sets out to show some historical proof behind the Scriptures that undergird two of the world's major religions.

"I hope they realize that it is very possible that the Bible is not a myth. The Bible is history," museum founder David Karpeles said. "We can't prove that for sure, but a lot of proof that leans that way."

Karpeles, a mathematician by training, acquired many of the manuscripts and artifacts by purchasing them from universities in the early 1980s. He rotates them in exhibits throughout the country. This particular exhibit is of special interest to Karpeles, who wrote his doctoral dissertation on "Biblical Historicity."

Shreveport's museum is the newest in the Karpeles network, and most of the others have already had the Bible exhibit. Director Lisa Tike is excited to bring it here. "The stuff I've seen so far is incredible," she said.

The exhibit starts with creation and ancient Sumerian tablets with pictograms that seem to tell a story of creation.

Noah and the flood figure prominently with pictures of a table that references Noah and the flood written about 2,000 B.C., long before the stories of Genesis were compiled. With the pictures are a tablet from the same time period that describes sacrifices to God.

The exhibit includes a replica of the first printed Ten commandments from the Gutenberg Bible. In the case next to it are pages from the first edition of the King James version of the Bible, one of which includes the Ten Commandments.

More at the Times Fri, Oct 6.


Free.
Fascinating former Christian Science temple.
Hours, etc.: 861- 7615