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Latin-inscribed artifacts unearthed near Silverbell Road between 1924 and 1930 stirred lingering controversy.
EVENT: Romans in Tucson? The Story of an Archaeological Hoax.
DATE/TIME: Tuesday, December 1, 2009 at 6:00 pm.
LOCATION: Casa Vicente, 375 S. Stone Avenue, Tucson, AZ.
This Archaeology Café convened on Tuesday, December 1, 2009. We were joined by Don Burgess, former General Manager of KUAT TV. Thirty-one Latin-inscribed lead crosses and a caliche plaque collectively known as the Silverbell Artifacts confounded scholars at the time of their appearance over the years between 1924 and 1930. The items appeared to attest to Roman presence in southern Arizona between A.D. 775 and 940. Don will tell the story behind the story, and dispel the myths surrounding this deliberate hoax. The legacy of this incident continues to this day, as Arizona State Museum and Arizona History Museum curators can attest from the yearly inquiries they receive.