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The Piltdown Papers, 1908-55 Frank Spencer

The Piltdown Papers, 1908-55 By Frank Spencer

The Piltdown Papers, 1908-55 by Frank Spencer


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Condition - Very Good
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Summary

A selection of 500 letters and other documents relating to the Piltdown forgery - an elaborate scientific hoax discovered in 1953. A full account of the Piltdown affair is presented in the companion volume, The Piltdown Forgery, by the same author.

The Piltdown Papers, 1908-55 Summary

The Piltdown Papers, 1908-55 by Frank Spencer

After the detection of the Piltdown forgery in 1953, attempts were made to identify the perpetrator of this elaborate scientific hoax. There were a number of suspects, but no conclusive evidence was brought forward. Speculation has since continued, but without positive result, largely because only limited information has been generally available about the history of the episode and the individuals who were directly or indirectly involved. Dr Spencer here presents a selection of some 500 letters and other relevant documents covering the period from 1912, when the remains were first described, to the 1950s. The material has been culled largely from the archives of the British Museum (Natural History). The resulting annotated catalogue provides a resource for those interested in the history of science as well as the basis for a reassessment of the Piltdown episode and a fresh attempt to identify the forger. A general account of the Piltdown affair is presented in the companion volume, The Piltdown Forgery.

Table of Contents

Part 1 The arrival of Piltdown Man 1908-1912: before the unveiling, 1908-1911 - the Dawson-Woodward connection and other relationships; the Piltdown site and events leading to the unveiling of Eoanthropus Dawson; December 1912 - the unveiling and the initial response. Part 2 New discoveries (1913) and the mounting controversy over Woodward's reconstruction and other issues: a question of ownership and security; reprints, casts and enquiries; Piltdown under attack; Burlington House December 1913. Part 3 A thickening plot at Piltdown (1914): new finds and old doubts; Burlington House 1914. Part 4 1915-1917 - Piltdown under siege: 1915 - undeclared discoveries; 1916-1917 - Dawson's death and the movement to dismantle Eoanthropus; Woodward's Trojan Horse. Part 5 The balance of opinion: between the Wars (1918-1939); after the War (1946-1952). Part 6 The debunking of Piltdown: the solution; the reaction; inquest (1953-1954).

Additional information

GOR007241110
9780198585237
0198585233
The Piltdown Papers, 1908-55 by Frank Spencer
Used - Very Good
Hardback
Oxford University Press
19901001
294
N/A
Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.
This is a used book - there is no escaping the fact it has been read by someone else and it will show signs of wear and previous use. Overall we expect it to be in very good condition, but if you are not entirely satisfied please get in touch with us

Customer Reviews - The Piltdown Papers, 1908-55