Johann Beringer
Encyclopedia
Professor Johann Bartholomeus Adam Beringer (ca 1667 - 1738) of the faculty of medicine at the University of Würzburg
was the victim of a famous early 18th century hoax
, perpetrated on him by his colleagues ex-Jesuit J. Ignatz Roderick (Roderique), professor of geography and mathematics, and Johann Georg von Eckhart
, privy counselor and university librarian, apparently in retaliation for Beringer's habitual arrogance.
into the shapes of animals such as lizards, frogs, spiders on their webs, and the Hebrew name of God in Latin
, Arabic
, and Hebrew
characters, and planted them on Mount Eibelstadt where Beringer frequently went to search for fossil
s.
The mechanism by which fossils were formed was not known at the time, and so despite the fantastical nature of these fakes Beringer took them seriously and published a book describing them (Lithographiæ Wirceburgensis, 1726). Beringer took a poor scientific approach to the matter; he proposed several possible explanations for the fossils in addition to his own preferred interpretation, that while some few of these stones might be dead animals (fossils) most were just "capricious fabrications of God". He even considered the possibility that they were the carvings of prehistoric pagans
, but he had to rule this out since pagans wouldn't know the name of God.
Even before publication of Beringer's book, critics had pointed out that some of the stones showed evidence of chisel
marks. Beringer had noticed this too, and said in his book:
However, this evidence of sculpting only convinced him more strongly that the chisel was wielded by the hand of God.
Roderick and Eckart continued planting progressively more outrageous fakes, but eventually decided that the hoax was getting out of hand and tried to convince Beringer that the stones were a fraud without admitting that they were the hoaxers. Beringer rejected their attempt, writing of "two men, perhaps best described as a pair of antagonists who tried to discredit the stones." Beringer brought Eckert and Roderick to court, to "save his honor." Some of the court transcript
still exists, and in the testimony the hoaxers make clear that they did indeed want to discredit Beringer, because, they said, "he was so arrogant and despised us all."
The scandal not only discredited Beringer, it ruined the reputations of Eckart and Roderick. Roderick had to leave Würzburg
. Eckart lost his post and privileges to use the library and archives. This hampered his own historical researches, which were left unfinished at his death. The stones became known as Lügensteine, or "lying stones." Some of the stones have survived and are in the University Museum, Oxford. It is said that once the hoax finally became clear, Beringer attempted to buy up all copies of his book and ruined himself financially in the process; it is not clear whether this is true or merely a legend. After his death in 1740, a second printing of his book was produced in 1767. In 1963, it was translated into English.
University of Würzburg
The University of Würzburg is a university in Würzburg, Germany, founded in 1402. The university is a member of the distinguished Coimbra Group.-Name:...
was the victim of a famous early 18th century hoax
Hoax
A hoax is a deliberately fabricated falsehood made to masquerade as truth. It is distinguishable from errors in observation or judgment, or rumors, urban legends, pseudosciences or April Fools' Day events that are passed along in good faith by believers or as jokes.-Definition:The British...
, perpetrated on him by his colleagues ex-Jesuit J. Ignatz Roderick (Roderique), professor of geography and mathematics, and Johann Georg von Eckhart
Johann Georg von Eckhart
Johann Georg von Eckhart was a German historian and linguist.Eckhart was born at Duingen in the principality of Kalenberg. After preparatory training at Schulpforta, he went to Leipzig, where at first, at the desire of his mother, he studied theology, but soon turned his attention to philology and...
, privy counselor and university librarian, apparently in retaliation for Beringer's habitual arrogance.
History
In 1725, the hoaxers carved limestoneLimestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
into the shapes of animals such as lizards, frogs, spiders on their webs, and the Hebrew name of God in Latin
Latin alphabet
The Latin alphabet, also called the Roman alphabet, is the most recognized alphabet used in the world today. It evolved from a western variety of the Greek alphabet called the Cumaean alphabet, which was adopted and modified by the Etruscans who ruled early Rome...
, Arabic
Arabic alphabet
The Arabic alphabet or Arabic abjad is the Arabic script as it is codified for writing the Arabic language. It is written from right to left, in a cursive style, and includes 28 letters. Because letters usually stand for consonants, it is classified as an abjad.-Consonants:The Arabic alphabet has...
, and Hebrew
Hebrew alphabet
The Hebrew alphabet , known variously by scholars as the Jewish script, square script, block script, or more historically, the Assyrian script, is used in the writing of the Hebrew language, as well as other Jewish languages, most notably Yiddish, Ladino, and Judeo-Arabic. There have been two...
characters, and planted them on Mount Eibelstadt where Beringer frequently went to search for fossil
Fossil
Fossils are the preserved remains or traces of animals , plants, and other organisms from the remote past...
s.
The mechanism by which fossils were formed was not known at the time, and so despite the fantastical nature of these fakes Beringer took them seriously and published a book describing them (Lithographiæ Wirceburgensis, 1726). Beringer took a poor scientific approach to the matter; he proposed several possible explanations for the fossils in addition to his own preferred interpretation, that while some few of these stones might be dead animals (fossils) most were just "capricious fabrications of God". He even considered the possibility that they were the carvings of prehistoric pagans
Paganism
Paganism is a blanket term, typically used to refer to non-Abrahamic, indigenous polytheistic religious traditions....
, but he had to rule this out since pagans wouldn't know the name of God.
Even before publication of Beringer's book, critics had pointed out that some of the stones showed evidence of chisel
Chisel
A chisel is a tool with a characteristically shaped cutting edge of blade on its end, for carving or cutting a hard material such as wood, stone, or metal. The handle and blade of some types of chisel are made of metal or wood with a sharp edge in it.In use, the chisel is forced into the material...
marks. Beringer had noticed this too, and said in his book:
...the figures...are so exactly fitted to the dimensions of the stones, that one would swear that they are the work of a very
meticulous sculptor...[and they] seem to bear unmistakable indications of the sculptor's knife... One would swear that he discerned in many of them the strokes of a knife gone awry, and superfluous gouges in several directions.
However, this evidence of sculpting only convinced him more strongly that the chisel was wielded by the hand of God.
Roderick and Eckart continued planting progressively more outrageous fakes, but eventually decided that the hoax was getting out of hand and tried to convince Beringer that the stones were a fraud without admitting that they were the hoaxers. Beringer rejected their attempt, writing of "two men, perhaps best described as a pair of antagonists who tried to discredit the stones." Beringer brought Eckert and Roderick to court, to "save his honor." Some of the court transcript
Transcript
Transcript may refer to:* Transcript , a copy of a student's permanent academic record* Transcription , the process of creating an equivalent RNA copy of a sequence of DNA* Transcript , a record of all court proceedings...
still exists, and in the testimony the hoaxers make clear that they did indeed want to discredit Beringer, because, they said, "he was so arrogant and despised us all."
The scandal not only discredited Beringer, it ruined the reputations of Eckart and Roderick. Roderick had to leave Würzburg
Würzburg
Würzburg is a city in the region of Franconia which lies in the northern tip of Bavaria, Germany. Located at the Main River, it is the capital of the Regierungsbezirk Lower Franconia. The regional dialect is Franconian....
. Eckart lost his post and privileges to use the library and archives. This hampered his own historical researches, which were left unfinished at his death. The stones became known as Lügensteine, or "lying stones." Some of the stones have survived and are in the University Museum, Oxford. It is said that once the hoax finally became clear, Beringer attempted to buy up all copies of his book and ruined himself financially in the process; it is not clear whether this is true or merely a legend. After his death in 1740, a second printing of his book was produced in 1767. In 1963, it was translated into English.
Further reading
- Stephani Pain, "Histories: Johann Beringer and the fraudulent fossils", New Scientist, 25 December 2004
- Kelber, K.-P. & Okrusch, M. (2006): Die geologische Erforschung und Kartierung des Würzburger Stadtgebietes von den Anfängen bis 1925.- (in German); Mainfränkische Hefte, 105: 71-115; Würzburg.
- "The lying stones of Dr. Johann Bartholomew Adam Beringer: being his Lithographiæ Wirceburgensis", by Beringer, Johann Bartholomäus Adam, d. 1740., Hueber, Georg Ludwig., Jahn, Melvin E., Woolf, Daniel J. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1963. xiv, 221 pages: illustrations, plates, facsims. Notes: Translation of Lithographiæ Wirceburgensis, which was originally published in 1726 with 50 medical corollaries as the inaugural dissertationInaugural dissertationAn inaugural dissertation is a presentation of major work by a new professor or doctor, in writing and/or in public speech, to inaugurate their professorship or doctorship. This academic ritual is traditional in much of Europe , although it is becoming less common in some countries and institutions...
of G.L. Hueber. Includes bibliographies. Bibliographical references included in "Notes" (p. 159-202)
External links
- Drawings of the "fossils" in Beringer's book
- Lithographiæ Wirceburgensis (Latin), Beringer's book, online at the University of BolognaUniversity of BolognaThe Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna is the oldest continually operating university in the world, the word 'universitas' being first used by this institution at its foundation. The true date of its founding is uncertain, but believed by most accounts to have been 1088...
.