Moses Wilhelm Shapira
Moses Wilhelm Shapira | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1830 |
| Died | March 9, 1884 (aged 53–54) Hotel Willemsbrug in Rotterdam, Netherlands |
| Citizenship | Russian Prussian |
| Occupation | Antiquities dealer |
| Known for | His role in the possibly forged or authentic manuscripts of the biblical book of Deuteronomy known as Shapira Scroll |
| Children | 2, including Myriam Harry |
Moses Wilhelm Shapira (Hebrew: מוזס וילהלם שפירא; 1830 – March 9, 1884) was a Jerusalem antiquities dealer and purveyor of both authentic and forged Semitic antiquities, including some allegedly Biblical artifacts, the most high profile of which was the Shapira Scroll. The shame brought about by accusations that he was involved in the forging of that specific allegedly ancient biblical text and the difficult situation created by the scandal drove him to suicide in 1884.