Michigan relics
Encyclopedia
Michigan relics is a name for forged
, supposedly ancient artifacts that were supposed to prove that people of an ancient Near East
ern culture had lived in Michigan
, USA.
In 1890 James Scotford of Edmore, Michigan
, claimed that he had found a number of artifacts, including a clay cup with strange symbols and carved tablets, with symbols that looked vaguely hieroglyph
ic. He put them forward as evidence that people from the Near East or Europe had lived in America. The find attracted interest and also eager looters who arrived to look for more artifacts.
Archaeologists and historians quickly concluded that the objects were forgeries. However, Scotford joined forces with Daniel E. Soper, former Michigan Secretary of State
. They presented thousands of objects made of various materials, supposedly found in 16 counties all over Michigan. They included coins, pipes, boxes, figurines and cuneiform
tablets that depicted various biblical scenes, including handing out the tablets of the Ten Commandments
.
The Detroit News article on November 14, 1907, reported that Soper and Scotford were selling copper crowns they had supposedly found on heads of prehistoric kings, and copies of Noah
's diary. Scotford often arranged a local person to witness him "unearthing" the objects.
Despite the fact that many authorities and collectors declared the objects fraudulent, Scotford and Soper had a large number of believing customers. In 1911 one John A. Russell published a pamphlet, "Prehistoric discoveries in Wayne County, Michigan", in which he argued for their authenticity. James Savage, former pastor of the Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Detroit, bought 40 of the objects. Father Savage believed them to be "remains relevant to the descendants of the Lost Tribes of Israel".
In the July 28, 1911 issue of the Detroit News, professor Frederick Starr
of the University of Chicago
declared that the so-called relics were fakes. Also Mary Robson, who lived a room next door to Scotford's sons Percy and Charles, stated that the boys manufactured more "relics" all the time. No one filed charges.
The finds attracted the interest of LDS Church members. This led Mormon scientist James E. Talmage
in 1909 to participate in a "dig" and then to thoroughly test the artifacts in his lab back in Utah. His investigations led him to label the artifacts as frauds. In August 1911, he published a work on his findings titled "The 'Michigan Relics': A Story of Forgery and Deception".
Later in 1911 Scotford's stepdaughter signed an affidavit
where she stated that she had seen him making the objects. Scotford and Soper never confessed and no more objects were found after they died. Father Savage died believing the artifacts were genuine.
Latest studies of professor of anthropology Richard B. Stamps
of the Michigan Historical Museum indicate that the artifacts were made with contemporary tools. Current historians tend to agree that Scotford and Soper joined forces to sell the fake relics for personal profit.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints kept 797 of the objects in the Salt Lake City Museum. In 2003 they gave them up to the Michigan Historical Museum in Lansing
where they currently reside.
Archaeological forgery
Archaeological forgery is the manufacture of supposedly ancient items that are sold to the antiquities market and may even end up in the collections of museums. It is related to art forgery....
, supposedly ancient artifacts that were supposed to prove that people of an ancient Near East
Near East
The Near East is a geographical term that covers different countries for geographers, archeologists, and historians, on the one hand, and for political scientists, economists, and journalists, on the other...
ern culture had lived in Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, USA.
In 1890 James Scotford of Edmore, Michigan
Edmore, Michigan
Edmore is a village in Montcalm County of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 1,244.Edmore was founded and platted by Edwin B. Moore, a real estate man, in 1878, and named with a contraction of his name. A post office was established on July 22, 1878 with...
, claimed that he had found a number of artifacts, including a clay cup with strange symbols and carved tablets, with symbols that looked vaguely hieroglyph
Logogram
A logogram, or logograph, is a grapheme which represents a word or a morpheme . This stands in contrast to phonograms, which represent phonemes or combinations of phonemes, and determinatives, which mark semantic categories.Logograms are often commonly known also as "ideograms"...
ic. He put them forward as evidence that people from the Near East or Europe had lived in America. The find attracted interest and also eager looters who arrived to look for more artifacts.
Archaeologists and historians quickly concluded that the objects were forgeries. However, Scotford joined forces with Daniel E. Soper, former Michigan Secretary of State
Michigan Secretary of State
The Secretary of State is the third-ranking official in the U.S. state of Michigan and one of four great offices of state. As the name implies, the officeholder was originally responsible for much of state government, but now the duties are similar to those of the other 47 secretaries of states...
. They presented thousands of objects made of various materials, supposedly found in 16 counties all over Michigan. They included coins, pipes, boxes, figurines and cuneiform
Cuneiform
Cuneiform can refer to:*Cuneiform script, an ancient writing system originating in Mesopotamia in the 4th millennium BC*Cuneiform , three bones in the human foot*Cuneiform Records, a music record label...
tablets that depicted various biblical scenes, including handing out the tablets of the Ten Commandments
Ten Commandments
The Ten Commandments, also known as the Decalogue , are a set of biblical principles relating to ethics and worship, which play a fundamental role in Judaism and most forms of Christianity. They include instructions to worship only God and to keep the Sabbath, and prohibitions against idolatry,...
.
The Detroit News article on November 14, 1907, reported that Soper and Scotford were selling copper crowns they had supposedly found on heads of prehistoric kings, and copies of Noah
Noah
Noah was, according to the Hebrew Bible, the tenth and last of the antediluvian Patriarchs. The biblical story of Noah is contained in chapters 6–9 of the book of Genesis, where he saves his family and representatives of all animals from the flood by constructing an ark...
's diary. Scotford often arranged a local person to witness him "unearthing" the objects.
Despite the fact that many authorities and collectors declared the objects fraudulent, Scotford and Soper had a large number of believing customers. In 1911 one John A. Russell published a pamphlet, "Prehistoric discoveries in Wayne County, Michigan", in which he argued for their authenticity. James Savage, former pastor of the Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Detroit, bought 40 of the objects. Father Savage believed them to be "remains relevant to the descendants of the Lost Tribes of Israel".
In the July 28, 1911 issue of the Detroit News, professor Frederick Starr
Frederick Starr
Frederick Starr , aka Ofuda Hakushi in Japan, was an American academic, anthropologist, and "populist educator" born at Auburn, New York.-Biography:...
of the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
declared that the so-called relics were fakes. Also Mary Robson, who lived a room next door to Scotford's sons Percy and Charles, stated that the boys manufactured more "relics" all the time. No one filed charges.
The finds attracted the interest of LDS Church members. This led Mormon scientist James E. Talmage
James E. Talmage
James Edward Talmage born in Hungerford, Berkshire, England, was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1911 until his death in 1933....
in 1909 to participate in a "dig" and then to thoroughly test the artifacts in his lab back in Utah. His investigations led him to label the artifacts as frauds. In August 1911, he published a work on his findings titled "The 'Michigan Relics': A Story of Forgery and Deception".
Later in 1911 Scotford's stepdaughter signed an affidavit
Affidavit
An affidavit is a written sworn statement of fact voluntarily made by an affiant or deponent under an oath or affirmation administered by a person authorized to do so by law. Such statement is witnessed as to the authenticity of the affiant's signature by a taker of oaths, such as a notary public...
where she stated that she had seen him making the objects. Scotford and Soper never confessed and no more objects were found after they died. Father Savage died believing the artifacts were genuine.
Latest studies of professor of anthropology Richard B. Stamps
Richard B. Stamps
Richard B. Stamps is an associate professor of anthropology at Oakland University and Chair of The Ambassador Leonard Woodcock Legacy. He is an expert on archeology and cultural anthropology of Taiwan and China. He is known by his Chinese name Yin Yinyin .Stamps was born in Oakland, California....
of the Michigan Historical Museum indicate that the artifacts were made with contemporary tools. Current historians tend to agree that Scotford and Soper joined forces to sell the fake relics for personal profit.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints kept 797 of the objects in the Salt Lake City Museum. In 2003 they gave them up to the Michigan Historical Museum in Lansing
Lansing, Michigan
Lansing is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located mostly in Ingham County, although small portions of the city extend into Eaton County. The 2010 Census places the city's population at 114,297, making it the fifth largest city in Michigan...
where they currently reside.