Beardmore Relics
Encyclopedia
The Beardmore Relics are a cache of Viking Age
artifacts, said to have been unearthed near Beardmore, Ontario, Canada
, in the 1930s. The cache consists of a Viking Age sword
, an axe head, and a bar of undetermined use (possibly a part of a shield). It has been claimed by some that the relics are proof of the early Norse occupation
in northern Ontario
. While the authenticity of the fragments is not generally disputed, the discovery is generally considered to be a hoax. In the 1930s, the Royal Ontario Museum
purchased the relics from the man who supposedly unearthed them. For about twenty years they were prominently displayed by the museum; however, the museum was forced to pull the relics from display following a public enquiry in about 1956–1957. About this time, the son of the supposed discoverer admitted that his father had planted the relics. The provincial museum
quietly re-introduced the relics to public display in the 1990s.
and CNR
trainman from Port Arthur, Ontario
, sold a cache of iron fragments to Charles Trick Currelly
, curator
of the Royal Ontario Museum
(ROM). The cache fetched a price of $500 CAD
, a not inconsiderable amount of money during the Great Depression
. The cache consisted of a broken sword, a spear head, and a bar of undetermined use. Dodd claimed that he had unearthed the fragments while prospecting
for gold, southwest of Beardmore, Ontario, on 24 May 1931. According to one version of events, Dodd took the fragments home, thinking they were Indian relics; and for a while he kept them in his woodshed, until word of his discovery reached Currelly in Toronto
. Currelly accepted Dodd's account and examined the fragments himself and was convinced of their authenticity. He sent photographs of them to experts in Europe, who confirmed that they were genuine Norse artifacts. After his purchase of the fragments, Currelly had them displayed in the ROM. Around this time, James Watson Curran, editor of The Sault Ste. Marie Star
, stated that the find was proof of a Norse burial in the region. Curran lectured widely on the theme "A Norseman died in Ontario
nine hundred years ago"; and also published a book on the subject.
, in his Westviking (first published in 1965), speculated that the Beardmore relics, and the Kensington Runestone
, were proof of Norse occupation in the region of Ontario
and parts of Minnesota
. The Kensington Runestone is said to have been found near Kensington, Minnesota
, USA by a Swedish American
farmer in 1898. It consists of a slab of rock with alleged runes carved into it. The runestone is considered by runologists and Scandinavian language scholars to be a hoax; yet its authenticity is believed by some amateur researchers and locals alike. The inscription reads: "8 Goths
[or Götar] and 22 Norwegians
on an exploration journey from Vinland
westward. We had our camp by 2 rocky islets one day's journey north of this stone. We were out fishing one day. When we came home we found 10 men red with blood and dead. AV[E] M[ARIA
] save us from evil. We have 10 men by the sea to look after our ships, 14 days' journey from this island. Year 1362." Mowat considered it likely that the Norse had established a base in the Hudson Strait
; and that from there could have sailed down into Hudson Bay
and further south into James Bay
and landed somewhere near the mouth of the Albany River
. From this possible landfall, Mowat speculated that an expedition could have travelled by boat to a location near Lake Nipigon
. Mowat proposed that such an expedition could have been led by Paul Knutson
; and that the runes upon the Kensington Runestone related to the death of ten of his followers. Mowat proposed that the Beardmore relics were the remains of a burial; and that the Kensington Runestone was originally engraved and left somewhere near the area as the expedition made a hasty northeasterly retreat. He proposed that the runestone could have been found by Indians and later carried off to Minnesota.
and salted
for his supposed discovery.
In about 1956–1957 Walter Dodd, son of James Edward Dodd, submitted a sworn statement which stated that his father had found the relics in the basement of a house at 33 Machar Street, Port Arthur; that he saw his father plant the relics at the site of the supposed discovery; and that his earlier statement had been made "under pressure" from his father. Until this point the ROM had defended the authenticity of the relics and of their supposed discovery. Amid considerable controversy, and following a public enquiry, the ROM pulled the fragments from display. According to American anthropologist Edmund Carpenter
, during the twenty-five years between the supposed discovery and the son's admission, successive ROM directors and staff members knew much of the 'true' history of the relics. Carpenter stated that the staff knew the collection from which the fragments originated, and that they even knew the name of the ship by which they reached Canada. According to historian F. Donald Logan, the fragments appear to have been imported from Scandinavia
in about 1923; and ended up in the Port Arthur area which had a sizable Norwegian
population. It has been reported that for more than 30 years museum curators refused to allow photographs to be taken of the fragments; and that later in the 1990s, the ROM quietly re-introduced the relics to public display.
Viking Age
Viking Age is the term for the period in European history, especially Northern European and Scandinavian history, spanning the late 8th to 11th centuries. Scandinavian Vikings explored Europe by its oceans and rivers through trade and warfare. The Vikings also reached Iceland, Greenland,...
artifacts, said to have been unearthed near Beardmore, Ontario, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, in the 1930s. The cache consists of a Viking Age sword
Viking sword
The Viking sword is a form of spatha, evolving out of the Migration Period sword in the 8th century, and evolving into the classical knightly sword in the 11th century with the emergence of larger crossguards...
, an axe head, and a bar of undetermined use (possibly a part of a shield). It has been claimed by some that the relics are proof of the early Norse occupation
Norse colonization of the Americas
The Norse colonization of the Americas began as early as the 10th century, when Norse sailors explored and settled areas of the North Atlantic, including the northeastern fringes of North America....
in northern Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. While the authenticity of the fragments is not generally disputed, the discovery is generally considered to be a hoax. In the 1930s, the Royal Ontario Museum
Royal Ontario Museum
The Royal Ontario Museum is a museum of world culture and natural history in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. With its main entrance facing Bloor Street in Downtown Toronto, the museum is situated north of Queen's Park and east of Philosopher's Walk in the University of Toronto...
purchased the relics from the man who supposedly unearthed them. For about twenty years they were prominently displayed by the museum; however, the museum was forced to pull the relics from display following a public enquiry in about 1956–1957. About this time, the son of the supposed discoverer admitted that his father had planted the relics. The provincial museum
Provincial museums of Canada
Provincial museums of Canada are museums maintained by the provinces of Canada to preserve their local history and culture. They are the equivalent to national museums operated by nation-states....
quietly re-introduced the relics to public display in the 1990s.
Supposed discovery
On 3 December 1936, James Edward Dodd, an amateur prospectorProspecting
Prospecting is the physical search for minerals, fossils, precious metals or mineral specimens, and is also known as fossicking.Prospecting is a small-scale form of mineral exploration which is an organised, large scale effort undertaken by mineral resource companies to find commercially viable ore...
and CNR
Canadian National Railway
The Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....
trainman from Port Arthur, Ontario
Port Arthur, Ontario
Port Arthur was a city in Northern Ontario which amalgamated with Fort William and the townships of Neebing and McIntyre to form the city of Thunder Bay in January 1970. Port Arthur was the district seat of Thunder Bay District.- History :...
, sold a cache of iron fragments to Charles Trick Currelly
Charles Trick Currelly
Charles Trick Currelly was a Canadian clergyman and archeologist, and the first director of the Royal Ontario Museum from 1914 to 1946....
, curator
Curator
A curator is a manager or overseer. Traditionally, a curator or keeper of a cultural heritage institution is a content specialist responsible for an institution's collections and involved with the interpretation of heritage material...
of the Royal Ontario Museum
Royal Ontario Museum
The Royal Ontario Museum is a museum of world culture and natural history in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. With its main entrance facing Bloor Street in Downtown Toronto, the museum is situated north of Queen's Park and east of Philosopher's Walk in the University of Toronto...
(ROM). The cache fetched a price of $500 CAD
Canadian dollar
The Canadian dollar is the currency of Canada. As of 2007, the Canadian dollar is the 7th most traded currency in the world. It is abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or C$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
, a not inconsiderable amount of money during the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
. The cache consisted of a broken sword, a spear head, and a bar of undetermined use. Dodd claimed that he had unearthed the fragments while prospecting
Prospecting
Prospecting is the physical search for minerals, fossils, precious metals or mineral specimens, and is also known as fossicking.Prospecting is a small-scale form of mineral exploration which is an organised, large scale effort undertaken by mineral resource companies to find commercially viable ore...
for gold, southwest of Beardmore, Ontario, on 24 May 1931. According to one version of events, Dodd took the fragments home, thinking they were Indian relics; and for a while he kept them in his woodshed, until word of his discovery reached Currelly in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
. Currelly accepted Dodd's account and examined the fragments himself and was convinced of their authenticity. He sent photographs of them to experts in Europe, who confirmed that they were genuine Norse artifacts. After his purchase of the fragments, Currelly had them displayed in the ROM. Around this time, James Watson Curran, editor of The Sault Ste. Marie Star
Sault Star
The Sault Star is a daily newspaper in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario and owned my Sun Media.The northern newspaper has a current daily subscription of over 20,000 households to the Sault Ste. Marie area and Algoma District....
, stated that the find was proof of a Norse burial in the region. Curran lectured widely on the theme "A Norseman died in Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
nine hundred years ago"; and also published a book on the subject.
Mowat's proposed explanation
The Canadian author Farley MowatFarley Mowat
Farley McGill Mowat, , born May 12, 1921 is a conservationist and one of Canada's most widely-read authors.His works have been translated into 52 languages and he has sold more than 14 million books. He achieved fame with the publication of his books on the Canadian North, such as People of the...
, in his Westviking (first published in 1965), speculated that the Beardmore relics, and the Kensington Runestone
Kensington Runestone
The Kensington Runestone is a 200-pound slab of greywacke covered in runes on its face and side which, if genuine, would suggest that Scandinavian explorers reached the middle of North America in the 14th century. It was found in 1898 in the largely rural township of Solem, Douglas County,...
, were proof of Norse occupation in the region of Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
and parts of Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
. The Kensington Runestone is said to have been found near Kensington, Minnesota
Kensington, Minnesota
Kensington is a city in Douglas County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 292 at the 2010 census. The city is notable in Minnesota history for being the place where the famous, if questionable, Kensington Runestone was first displayed. The stone tablet may indicate that Scandinavians...
, USA by a Swedish American
Swedish American
Swedish Americans are Americans of Swedish descent, especially the descendants of about 1.2 million immigrants from Sweden during 1885-1915. Most were Lutherans who affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America ; some were Methodists...
farmer in 1898. It consists of a slab of rock with alleged runes carved into it. The runestone is considered by runologists and Scandinavian language scholars to be a hoax; yet its authenticity is believed by some amateur researchers and locals alike. The inscription reads: "8 Goths
Goths
The Goths were an East Germanic tribe of Scandinavian origin whose two branches, the Visigoths and the Ostrogoths, played an important role in the fall of the Roman Empire and the emergence of Medieval Europe....
[or Götar] and 22 Norwegians
Norwegians
Norwegians constitute both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway. They share a common culture and speak the Norwegian language. Norwegian people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in United States, Canada and Brazil.-History:Towards the end of the 3rd...
on an exploration journey from Vinland
Vinland
Vinland was the name given to an area of North America by the Norsemen, about the year 1000 CE.There is a consensus among scholars that the Vikings reached North America approximately five centuries prior to the voyages of Christopher Columbus...
westward. We had our camp by 2 rocky islets one day's journey north of this stone. We were out fishing one day. When we came home we found 10 men red with blood and dead. AV[E] M[ARIA
Ave Maria
Ave Maria may refer to:*Ave Maria , the "Hail Mary", a traditional Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox prayer calling for the intercession of Mary, the mother of Jesus-Music:...
] save us from evil. We have 10 men by the sea to look after our ships, 14 days' journey from this island. Year 1362." Mowat considered it likely that the Norse had established a base in the Hudson Strait
Hudson Strait
Hudson Strait links the Atlantic Ocean to Hudson Bay in Canada. It lies between Baffin Island and the northern coast of Quebec, its eastern entrance marked by Cape Chidley and Resolution Island. It is long...
; and that from there could have sailed down into Hudson Bay
Hudson Bay
Hudson Bay , sometimes called Hudson's Bay, is a large body of saltwater in northeastern Canada. It drains a very large area, about , that includes parts of Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Alberta, most of Manitoba, southeastern Nunavut, as well as parts of North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota,...
and further south into James Bay
James Bay
James Bay is a large body of water on the southern end of Hudson Bay in Canada. Both bodies of water extend from the Arctic Ocean. James Bay borders the provinces of Quebec and Ontario; islands within the bay are part of Nunavut...
and landed somewhere near the mouth of the Albany River
Albany River
The Albany River is a river in Northern Ontario, Canada, which flows northeast from Lake St. Joseph in Northwestern Ontario and empties into James Bay. It is long to the head of the Cat River, tying it with the Severn River for the title of longest river in Ontario...
. From this possible landfall, Mowat speculated that an expedition could have travelled by boat to a location near Lake Nipigon
Lake Nipigon
Lake Nipigon is the largest lake entirely within the boundaries of the Canadian province of Ontario . It is sometimes described as the sixth Great Lake. Lying 260 metres above sea level, the lake drains into the Nipigon River and thence into Nipigon Bay of Lake Superior...
. Mowat proposed that such an expedition could have been led by Paul Knutson
Paul Knutson
-Biography:In the 1340s Pål Knutsson was an ombudsman who owned much of the Tveit farm at Tysnes in Hordaland. By 1348 he had been promoted to judge of the Gulathing within the district of Gulen...
; and that the runes upon the Kensington Runestone related to the death of ten of his followers. Mowat proposed that the Beardmore relics were the remains of a burial; and that the Kensington Runestone was originally engraved and left somewhere near the area as the expedition made a hasty northeasterly retreat. He proposed that the runestone could have been found by Indians and later carried off to Minnesota.
Scepticism
Immediately after the ROM's purchase of the "relics" archaeologists and others were dismayed at the museum's endorsement of the fragments; noting discrepancies in Dodd's statements, as well of those of his friends and enemies. Dodd, himself, had also altered his account several times. Some critics suggested that Dodd bought the artifacts from a Norwegian immigrantNorwegian Canadian
Norwegian Canadians are Canadians of Norwegian descent.There are approximately 1.2 million Canadians of Scandinavian descent living in Canada, representing around 3.9% of Canada’s population. In the Canada 2006 Census 432,515 Canadian residents claimed Norwegian ancestry, making up 1.4% of the...
and salted
Salting (confidence trick)
In mineral exploration, salting is the process of adding gold or silver to an ore sample to change the value of the ore with intent to deceive, cheat or defraud any person. In the US state of Arizona it is a class 6 felony...
for his supposed discovery.
In about 1956–1957 Walter Dodd, son of James Edward Dodd, submitted a sworn statement which stated that his father had found the relics in the basement of a house at 33 Machar Street, Port Arthur; that he saw his father plant the relics at the site of the supposed discovery; and that his earlier statement had been made "under pressure" from his father. Until this point the ROM had defended the authenticity of the relics and of their supposed discovery. Amid considerable controversy, and following a public enquiry, the ROM pulled the fragments from display. According to American anthropologist Edmund Carpenter
Edmund Snow Carpenter
Edmund "Ted" Snow Carpenter was an anthropologist best known for his work on tribal art and visual media.-Early life:...
, during the twenty-five years between the supposed discovery and the son's admission, successive ROM directors and staff members knew much of the 'true' history of the relics. Carpenter stated that the staff knew the collection from which the fragments originated, and that they even knew the name of the ship by which they reached Canada. According to historian F. Donald Logan, the fragments appear to have been imported from Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
in about 1923; and ended up in the Port Arthur area which had a sizable Norwegian
Norwegian Canadian
Norwegian Canadians are Canadians of Norwegian descent.There are approximately 1.2 million Canadians of Scandinavian descent living in Canada, representing around 3.9% of Canada’s population. In the Canada 2006 Census 432,515 Canadian residents claimed Norwegian ancestry, making up 1.4% of the...
population. It has been reported that for more than 30 years museum curators refused to allow photographs to be taken of the fragments; and that later in the 1990s, the ROM quietly re-introduced the relics to public display.
See also
- Maine pennyMaine PennyThe Maine penny, also referred to as the Goddard coin, is a Norwegian silver penny dating to the reign of Olaf Kyrre . The Maine State Museum describes it as "the only pre-Columbian Norse artifact generally regarded as genuine found within the United States"...
, Carpenter likened the Beardmore relics to the Maine penny. The actual penny is also considered authentic, yet it may have been 'planted' as well.