Frauds in the Field | Bentley Historical Library
On a fall day in 1890, James Scotford left the warmth and comfort of his Wyman, Michigan, home to begin the arduous task of digging post holes. The work was difficult and mundane until a turn of the spade unearthed the discovery of what he described as a “large earthen casket” inscribed with religious writing. He immediately rushed to the nearby town to share his find.
U-M’s Museum of Anthropological Archaeology houses several Scotford and Soper forgeries, including this winged creature.
As news of the ancient artifact spread, a different kind of gold rush hit the state as people hurried to find their own piece of history hidden in the dirt. Over the next 30 years, 3,000 more artifacts would be discovered across Michigan. The found items included cups, amulets, tools, pipes, and tablets made from clay, copper, and slate. All the objects had religious-looking symbols and characters carved onto their surfaces. But critical observers quickly noted that the artifacts were usually discovered only when Scotford was present.
A handful of local residents, thrilled by the idea of an “ancient race” having once lived on their land, formed a small society to study the material and learn more. The society asked professors from area colleges and universities to authenticate the artifacts. According to papers at the Bentley Historical Library, U-M Latin professor and archaeologist Francis Kelsey closely examined the objects and wrote that the workmanship was so crude “that an archaeologist of training in any field could hardly fail to recognize at a glance their true character.”
