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Piltdown Man memorial, 1938
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Piltdown Man memorial, 1938
The site of the discovery of the Piltdown skull: the monolith memorial unveiled by Sir Keith Arthur on 22nd July 1938. The memorial was placed in the grounds of Barkham Manor at Piltdown, East Sussex, to mark the site of the discovery. Part of the inscription states Here, in the old river gravel, Mr. Charles Dawson, F.S.A, found the fossil skull of Piltdown Man, 1912-13. The spectacular find was revealed to be an elaborate hoax in 1953. Date: 22nd July 1938
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Media ID 14125426
© Illustrated London News Ltd/Mary Evans
1938 22nd Arthur Dawson Fake Forgery Gravel Hoax Inscription Keith Link Manor Missing Monolith Piltdown Prehistoric Unveiled
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EDITORS COMMENTS
In this evocative photograph, Sir Keith Arthur, a renowned archaeologist and anthropologist, unveils the Piltdown Man memorial on July 22, 1938. The monument, located in the picturesque grounds of Barkham Manor at Piltdown, East Sussex, marks the site of one of the most significant, yet ultimately controversial, discoveries in the history of archaeology. The inscription on the monolith reads, "Here, in the old river gravel, Mr. Charles Dawson, F.S.A, found the fossil skull of Piltdown Man, 1912-13." Piltdown Man, believed to be the missing link between apes and humans, was a sensational find that captivated the world. However, the discovery was revealed to be a hoax in 1953, leaving a lasting impact on the field of archaeology and the scientific community. The gravel pit at Piltdown, where the skull was discovered, had long been a source of intrigue for fossil hunters. In 1912, Charles Dawson, an amateur archaeologist, claimed to have unearthed the Piltdown Man skull, along with some teeth and bones, which were later determined to be a combination of a modern human skull and an orangutan jawbone, manipulated and stained to appear ancient. The Piltdown Man hoax, while a disappointing chapter in the history of archaeology, serves as a reminder of the importance of rigorous scientific inquiry and the potential consequences of jumping to conclusions based on incomplete evidence. The memorial, though a symbol of a misguided belief, stands as a testament to the enduring allure of the search for our prehistoric past.
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