A threatening message leads a papyrologist into the shadowy world of online antiquities trading.
On a September morning in 2017, Dr Roberta Mazza opens her WhatsApp to find menacing messages and warnings to "watch her back". How did a respected academic specialising in ancient texts find herself at the crossroads of biblical scholarship and antiquities looting?
Through exclusive interviews, investigative journalist Ben Lewis reveals how Dr Mazza's chance discovery at a Vatican exhibition three years earlier set her on a collision course with one of the world's most ambitious collecting projects. When she spots a rare biblical fragment she'd previously seen listed on eBay, Roberta begins pulling threads that lead from online auction sites to a prestigious museum collection.
Her investigation intensifies as she uncovers connections between anonymous online sellers and the Museum of the Bible's massive acquisition programme. Going undercover to expose the trade in potentially looted artefacts, Roberta finds herself drawn into an increasingly dangerous world where ancient treasures, scholarly research and outright illegality intersect.
Her digital sleuthing uncovers the true identity of a mysterious Turkish dealer - and his possible connections to the museum's inner circle. But her determination to expose the truth comes at a personal cost, as threats escalate and she realises she may have waded too deep into dangerous waters.
Presented by Ben Lewis Produced by Clem Hitchcock Executive producers: Philip Abrams and Jago Lee Story editor: Andrew Dickson Sound design by Richard Courtice Original music composed by Max de Wardener Commissioning Editor: Daniel Clarke Commissioning Executive: Tracy Williams Assistant Commissioner Podcasts/Digital: Chris Walsh-Heron
A TellTale production for BBC Radio 4.
Episodes of Intrigue: Word of God are released weekly on Wednesdays, wherever you get your podcasts, but if you’re in the UK, you can listen to the latest episode a week early, first on BBC Sounds.