The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1911-08-10
Recent archaeological Finds
In The State of Michi6an
Are Frauds Says Tdxmdle

ence in this line Is that of others who
have undertaken Independent investi.
cation.
'(2). The conditions of the burial
are such as to practically preclude in.
terment centuries ago las the claims
of great age for these relics must i'm
ply. The objects are generally found
within a foot or two feet Of the sur.
face. have heard of no credible or
well attested instances Of accidental
uncovering whereby any object has
been exposed through natures wealth.
ering except such discoveries as have
been made by parties well known to
be skilled in making these finds. New.
ertheless did these objects exist by
the hundreds in these little mounds
and within so short distance of the
surface, it passes belief that they
should never be uncovered except by
pre-arranged digging. Moreover, there
Is absolutely no evidence that appeals
to me as indicating that these little
mounds are burial spots. 1t has been
assumed that these relics were buried
with the dead, and the area within
which they are found has been re.
ferred to as great metropolis. Yet
not even single tooth has been
found to mar kthe presence of a bur-
led body.
Corroded by Chemicals.
"(3). The freshness amounting to
practical newness of the exhumed oh
jects examined by me. is entirely in.
consistent with any claim of great
antiquity. Some of the slate tablets |
have seen and handled are so fresh
as to suggest that they left the max
er's hands as last as yesterday. The
lines made by the craving tools, when
examined microscopically, show frac
lures therein. The copper pieces.
while generally green with verdgris.
have evidently been coTroded by rap.
id chemical processes and not by the
slow process of time. The corroded
layer on every copper piece have
seen is thin and non-adherent, rap
idly wearing off even with the most
careful handling and leaving a sur
face clean and smooth except for the
slight roughness produced by chemical
action
90. Examination of the copper
out of which these articles are fash.
Toned. shows II to be ordinary CONNER
cial copper, smelted from sulphur
bearing and arsenical ores and not
the native copper such as the coppers
taken from genuine ancient mounds
in this country are known to be. This
conclusion as to the character of the
copper is based on chemical analyses
made here and elsewhere, and on con
ductivity determinations made at the
Smithsonian Institution, Washington
90. The way in which the pieces
of slate and copper have been fash
toned indicates their modern origin
On the edge of the copper battle AK
unearthed by myself. the equi-distant
and regular lines of "A modern file are
plainly seen. On the edges of the tab
let of black slate, the marks of a mod
ern saw are still intact,
These are a few of the specific ev
licences of fraud in this attempt tc
make modern fabrications appear as
| ancient artifacts. In this brief writing
| | shall attempt no analysis of the in
scriptions; nor of the written charac
tiers, except to say that find charac
tiers resembling those on the ancient
Moabite Stone and some resembling
as also many combinations Of cunei
| form characters to be found in Ger
tain pictures of ancient tablets. ! re
frain from discussing the possible mo
tive by which the forgers have beer
moved in their dishonest enterprise
and of the methods by which the,
have worked, though | have in con
temptation possible publication Of ;
fuller treatment on the subject"
j. h. TALMAGE.