Catherine Sease
Abstract
Faking artifacts in the Americas does not have as long a history as in other parts of the world. Most scholars believe that it started in the early 19th century in Mexico. Once started, however, it has developed, grown and flourished. This paper briefly discusses the history of faking pre-Columbian artifacts. Specific examples from Central and South America illustrate the particular issues associated with faked artifacts that contributed to their manufacture or the difficulty in identifying them.