The collection, comprising approximately 70 ring-bound books made entirely of lead, first surfaced between 2005 and 2008, supposedly from a remote cave in northern Jordan, an area known to be a refuge for early Christians fleeing after the fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD. If authentic, these codices would represent one of the most significant archaeological discoveries related to Christianity's formative years. However, their unusual appearance and controversial content have made them lightning rods for scholarly skepticism since they were first revealed to the world in 2011.
Almost from the outset, the lead books have been dismissed as fakes by some scholars, a BBC investigation, and the Israeli Antiquities Authority, who stated the books are a: "mixture of incompatible periods and styles without any connection or logic. Such forged motifs can be found in their thousands in the antiquities markets of Jordan and elsewhere in the Middle East".
This did not dissuade researchers such as Jennifer Solignac, David Elkington and Professor Webb of the Ion Beam Centre (IBC) at Surrey University, UK, from subjecting the codices to further testing in an attempt to assess their authenticity, the latest of which has just been released.
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Sample from the Jordan codices showing corrosion and patina. (University of Surrey)
Revolutionary Ion-Beam Analysis Challenges Previous Assumptions
The latest research, published in Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms, represents the most comprehensive scientific examination of these artifacts to date. Professor Roger Webb, Director of the Surrey Ion Beam Centre, has been investigating the codices since 2011, and his team's advanced analytical techniques have uncovered surprising nuances in the metal composition. Working in collaboration with the University of Glasgow, the Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre, and the University of Vienna, researchers deployed four distinct analytical methods: trace-element analysis, lead-isotope measurements, alpha-particle tests, and radiogenic helium analysis.
The findings revealed a puzzling dichotomy. External pages showed significant environmental contamination, making accurate age determination nearly impossible. However, the inner pages, protected from direct environmental exposure, yielded much clearer results.
"We have been unable to prove that they are truly ancient, but we have also not been able to prove that all of the objects are modern," Professor Webb explained in a press release.
"We have seen some codices that have tested to be modern, but others clearly test as older than 200 years - thus as far back as our currently successful tests can go."
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This revelation is significant because lead objects are notoriously difficult to date with precision. Unlike organic materials that can be analyzed through radiocarbon dating, lead can be melted and reused repeatedly throughout history, making age determination extremely challenging. The research team's multi-pronged approach helps circumvent some of these limitations, though Professor Webb emphasized that current techniques cannot definitively push the dating much beyond the 200-year threshold.
Controversial Content and Historical Significance
The codices contain text written in Paleo-Hebrew, an ancient script that predates modern Hebrew, along with numerous eight-pointed stars and names including Jesus Christ and his apostles Peter, John, and James. One tablet features what appears to be a portrait of a figure with a halo, which researchers David and Jennifer Elkington have identified as possibly the earliest known depiction of Jesus. However, the content presented in these texts has proven deeply controversial among both religious scholars and historians.
According to Jennifer Solignac and David Elkington, British researchers who have championed the codices' authenticity since 2011, the manuscripts suggest that Jesus was not founding a new religion but rather restoring ancient traditions from the time of King David, approximately 1,000 years earlier. Even more provocatively, the texts allegedly describe Jesus worshipping a deity conceived as both male and female. These claims have naturally generated intense scrutiny and skepticism within academic circles, with one noting that the supposed image of Jesus looks very similar to images of Helios found on ancient coins.
Left; supposed image of Jesus on Jordan Codex. (D. Elkington) Right; Image of Helios on coin. (ArchaiOptix/CC BY-SA 4.0)
The Path Forward: Science Meets Ancient Mystery
The Surrey Ion Beam Centre, which serves as the lead site for the UK National Ion Beam Centre, applies cutting-edge analytical techniques across diverse fields, from quantum technologies to cultural heritage preservation. Their facility has previously been used to study historic artifacts including timbers from the famous ship Cutty Sark and paintings potentially attributable to Leonardo Da Vinci. This expertise in microscopic and atomic-level investigation provides the precision necessary for examining contentious artifacts like the Jordan codices.
Professor Webb noted:
"At the Surrey Ion Beam Centre, we routinely apply these techniques to everything from quantum devices to cultural heritage objects, and our study shows just how powerful ion-beam analysis can be. The fact that some key samples cannot be shown to be modern provides a strong scientific basis for scholars to take the codices seriously and for further, more advanced testing to be carried out."
Two of the pages of the Jordan Codices under testing at the Surrey Ion Beam Centre. (University of Surrey)
Although many commentators online state the codices are conclusively proven to be fake, it seems some legitimate authorities are less hasty in making that judgement.
The recent research, funded by the European Union's Horizon 2020 program and the UK's Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, has opened doors for additional investigation rather than closing the book on the controversy. The team is actively seeking further investment and collaboration for the next phase of testing, which could employ even more sensitive analytical methods. The findings were formally presented at the House of Commons on November 21, 2025, hosted by Brian Mathew MP, underscoring the significance British authorities place on resolving the mystery.
A Mystery Far From Resolved
The 2025 findings represent both progress and frustration in equal measure. On one hand, the scientific evidence clearly demonstrates that not all of the codices can be dismissed as modern forgeries. The presence of lead that exhibits characteristics consistent with material over two centuries old, combined with corrosion patterns that cannot be artificially replicated, suggests at least some components have genuine antiquity. On the other hand, the research also confirmed that other pieces within the collection are demonstrably modern, raising questions about whether ancient materials were later supplemented with fabrications, or whether forgers cleverly incorporated genuinely old lead into their creations.
The challenge of dating lead objects, combined with the substantial contamination from environmental exposure and the non-uniformity of samples, means that proving a first-century origin remains beyond current scientific capabilities. However, the inability to definitively prove ancient manufacture does not constitute proof of modern forgery. This ambiguous middle ground is precisely where the Jordan codices now reside - neither fully authenticated nor comprehensively debunked.
For believers in the codices' authenticity, the Surrey study represents vindication that these artifacts deserve serious scholarly attention rather than dismissal. For skeptics, the presence of clearly modern pieces within the collection reinforces suspicions that the entire enterprise is a sophisticated hoax. The truth, as is often the case with controversial archaeological finds, likely lies somewhere between these extremes and will only be revealed through continued rigorous scientific investigation and scholarly debate.
Top image: Left; authentic Jordan lead codex. Right; ‘Face of God’ in the Lead codices. Source: © David Elkington
By Gary Manners
References
Elkington, D. 2018. Controversial Lead Codices With Earliest Written Account of Jesus May Be Genuine. Available at: /artifacts-ancient-writings/jordan-codices-020640
Elkington, D & Solignac, J., 2014. Discovering the Lead Codices: The Book of Seven Seals and the Secret Teachings of Jesus. Watkins Publishing. Available from Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Discovering-Lead-Codices-Secret-Teachings/dp/1780287666
McDermott, A. 2016. Set of 70 Metal Tablets May Have the Earliest Written Account and Depiction of Jesus. Available at: /news-history-archaeology/set-70-metal-tablets-may-have-earliest-written-account-and-depiction-jesus-021091
Shavit, R., 2025. New tests show Jordan lead codices are not all modern fakes. The Brighter Side. Available at: https://www.thebrighterside.news/post/new-tests-show-jordan-lead-codices-are-not-all-modern-fakes/
University of Surrey. 2025. Advanced ion-beam analysis reveals age variations in disputed Jordan codices. Available at: https://www.surrey.ac.uk/news/advanced-ion-beam-analysis-reveals-age-variations-disputed-jordan-codices
Webb, R.P. et al. 2025. On the analysis of lead objects in an attempt to determine their age. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms. Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168583X25003374
