Establishing the provenance of the Nazareth Inscription: Using stable isotopes to resolve a historic controversy and trace ancient marble production

•Stable isotope analysis can be used to provenance ancient marble inscriptions.•The mysterious Nazareth Inscription was carved on stone from quarry on island of Kos.•The Nazareth Inscription has no connection with Jesus Christ or early Christianity.•The Nazareth Inscription was prompted by desecration of the tomb of a political figure known as Nikias of Kos.•Inscriptions are potentially high-resolution tracers of ancient marble economies.