title: 9 On Firkowicz, Forgeries and Forging Jewish Identities
abstract: This chapter is a necessarily short report on the great project of the publication of forged tombstone inscriptions in a Crimean Jewish-Karaite cemetery, by which attempted to establish a myth of the origin of Karaite Jews. In order to appreciate his efforts it is necessary to briefly sketch various trends of ideas among Jews and Gentiles on ancient history of Hebrews as current in early nineteenth century in Russia and elsewhere. Firkowicz began to study by correspondence with prominent Karaite