Dormant Angels - A secret kept buried for 2000 years

Friday, August 22, 2025 - Shielding his eyes against the relentless August sun, its heat intensifying the humidity that clung to his body, Professor Whitfield meticulously excavates the ancient site behind the Temple Mount in an area believed to be the remains of very old sectarian ruins. In this same location, curiously, the professor had found an upside-down silver crucifix five months ago. His focus, unwavering, despite the cacophony of the city, the distant buzz of commerce, and the melodic call to prayer. Suddenly, a tiny glint in the earth caught his trained eye. With a delicate touch, he started brushing the dirt away. He took numerous photos at each stage of the unearthing. After taking precise measurements and making a few drawings of the object’s location, Whitfield, with meticulous precision, proceeded to unearth the rest of the object. It was truly a treasure, an age-old thin copper tablet etched with enigmatic symbols, perhaps a language lost to time. His pulse quickened as he grasped the relic, an electrifying realization coursing through him. Could this discovery be the linchpin to a web of ancient secrets? Or, could the tablet be a key to unraveling historical mysteries long forgotten? He carefully laid the object on a clean cloth and took more photos, front, back, and at different angles of illumination. "Ralph, come quickly!" Professor Whitfield's voice echoed across the excavation site his tone urgent. 

Dust billowed around Ralph's feet as he hurried through the trenches, his eagerness to reach Professor Whitfield evident in his every step. "Hey, Dr. Whitfield? What have you found?"  

Gesturing to the ancient copper tablet, Whitfield's eyes glimmered with excitement. "I've uncovered an extraordinary artifact, Ralph. Look at these symbols! I've never seen anything like it." The inscriptions, appearing to be etched with an enigmatic and unfamiliar script, drew his gaze like a magnet. "Professor, this is amazing! It looks almost like hieroglyphics to me. What do you think they mean professor?" Whitfield smiles, a sense of wonder in his voice. "That's what we're going to find out, Ralph. But first, we need to preserve this relic. Please fetch the preservation box from my tent.” “And be careful, copper tablets are a very rare find. Do not tell anyone else about them, I will so advise the rest of the team at a later time." The fewer people who knew, the safer the tablets would be. This need for secrecy was a new sensation for Albert Whitfield. His previous vocation as a Catholic priest had been defined by faith shared openly with his congregation. His faith has always guided his moral duty to save each person he encountered from themselves. He believed that each person frequently sabotages their own progress and well-being. However, a series of personal tragedies and crises of faith led him to question his beliefs and to ultimately leave the Church. Seeking a new purpose, Whitfield threw himself into his love of history and archaeology. His exceptional knowledge and talent earned him a position as a part-time professor at Columbia University and a spot on a prestigious dig in Jerusalem. Now in his late thirties, Whitfield has rebuilt his life in New York City. His British roots are still strong, and he visits his family in the UK whenever he can. His girlfriend, a fellow academic, shares his passion for archaeology.