Handaxe forgery
Object
Flint tool
Production date
6/1890
Object number
1991.384
Physical Description
Flint, brown / orange, 2 paper labels, 185 x 85 x 40mm.
Associated Person
Joseph Exhall Greenhill (Archaeologist)
Exhibition Label
From ‘Hackney 300,000 BC: Meet the Neanderthal neighbours and curious creatures of the borough's Old Stone Age’
Fakes and Forgeries
While some collectors actively searched for artefacts on site, many would offer to buy any discoveries from workmen digging locally. For many workmen living in poverty, a single handaxe could be worth a whole day’s wage or a week’s rent.
This encouraged some to learn to create forgeries to sell to unaware collectors. One victim was Joseph Exall Greenhill, who mistakenly purchased this handaxe and others believing them to be from the Old Stone Age.
It may have been made by the talented East London flint-knapper and forger George Glover (1854-1936). Greenhill had promised to buy everything that Glover could ‘find’ before becoming aware of the trick.
Fakes and Forgeries
While some collectors actively searched for artefacts on site, many would offer to buy any discoveries from workmen digging locally. For many workmen living in poverty, a single handaxe could be worth a whole day’s wage or a week’s rent.
This encouraged some to learn to create forgeries to sell to unaware collectors. One victim was Joseph Exall Greenhill, who mistakenly purchased this handaxe and others believing them to be from the Old Stone Age.
It may have been made by the talented East London flint-knapper and forger George Glover (1854-1936). Greenhill had promised to buy everything that Glover could ‘find’ before becoming aware of the trick.
On display?
No