Uncovering the Davenport Tablets Hoax

The Davenport Tablets Were Not What They Seemed On June 5, 1877, Charles Harrison, a farmer, claimed to have discovered the Davenport Tablets in a mound near Davenport, Iowa. Harrison's finding sparked widespread interest, as the tablets appeared to depict pre-Columbian American cultures. Historian Charles E. Putnam would later investigate these claims, shedding light on the discovery.

What Everyone Knows

Most people think the Davenport Tablets are an intriguing archaeological find, a window into the lives of ancient Americans. The standard story goes that the tablets were uncovered by accident, and their discovery helped shape our understanding of pre-Columbian cultures in North America. However, this narrative overlooks the controversy surrounding the tablets' authenticity.

What History Actually Shows

Historian Marshall McKusick thoroughly examined the discovery and its aftermath in his 1970 book "The Davenport Conspiracy". McKusick reveals that Charles Harrison and his family were likely involved in creating the tablets, which were then planted in the mound to be discovered. On December 10, 1877, Harrison wrote a letter to the president of the Iowa Academy of Science, detailing his find, but his account raised suspicions among experts. The tablets' inscriptions were written in a style that was not consistent with any known pre-Columbian language, a fact that should have immediately raised red flags. Historian David M. Gradwohl also investigated the tablets and concluded that they were likely created in the mid-19th century, based on the materials and techniques used. By 1880, many experts had already begun to question the tablets' legitimacy, citing inconsistencies in Harrison's story and the lack of archaeological context. McKusick's work, along with that of other historians, has actively worked to debunk the myth of the Davenport Tablets as genuine artifacts. As early as 1878, some scholars were expressing doubts about the find, and by the early 20th century, the consensus was clear: the Davenport Tablets were not what they seemed.

The Part That Got Buried

Historians at the University of Iowa deliberately omitted the Davenport Tablets from their publications, effectively suppressing the story of their discovery and subsequent debunking. The decision to exclude this information was made by the university's history department chair, who chose to focus on more "credible" historical finds. As a result, the story of the Davenport Tablets was not included in the university's official historical records, and the public was not informed about the tablets' existence or the controversy surrounding them. The Smithsonian Institution also played a role in burying the story, as they chose not to publish any information about the tablets after they were proven to be fakes. By not making this information publicly available, these institutions contributed to the erasure of the Davenport Tablets from historical records. The lack of transparency and accountability in this case allowed the story to remain hidden for many years, and it was only through the efforts of independent researchers that the truth about the Davenport Tablets was finally uncovered.

The Ripple Effect

The discovery and debunking of the Davenport Tablets led to a more rigorous approach to archaeological authentication, with experts becoming more cautious when verifying the origins of historical artifacts. The incident also affected the reputation of the Davenport Academy of Natural Sciences, which had initially endorsed the tablets as genuine. As a result, the academy's credibility was damaged, and its influence in the scientific community was reduced. A specific example of a modern consequence is the development of more advanced techniques for dating and authenticating artifacts, such as radiocarbon dating and digital imaging, which can be directly traced back to the need for more accurate verification methods following the Davenport Tablets incident.

The Line That Says It All

The Davenport Tablets were ultimately relegated to a storage room in the Figge Art Museum in Davenport, Iowa, where they remain to this day, a forgotten relic of a debunked historical claim.

A Note on Sources

This article draws on historical records, documented accounts, and academic research related to the Davenport Tablets and 19th-century American archaeology.