Ceramic Figure – ca. ??
Do you know how to spot a fake artifact? It can be extremely difficult!! For hundreds of years the art of forgery in antiquities has thrived and grown into a very sophisticated and lucrative business worldwide. Many high-profile and respected museums, galleries, auction houses, and collectors alike have been duped by extremely accurate fakes, and the Science Center is no different. This supposedly Pre-Columbian figure was donated in 1979 by an individual who believed herself to be in possession of the real thing. By the time the true nature of the figure was discovered several years later, the object was already part of the permanent collection.
So why, 45 years later, does the Science Center still have this object? We openly acknowledge that this piece is a fake, but we recognize that there is still value in it. If we approach this object with curiosity, we can learn from it and find value outside of the ordinary. We can still use this to educate about the history, art, and traditions of the culture it represents. It still helps to tell a story about some important aspects of that culture, and also illustrates inaccuracies which we can correct, filling in the gaps to get at the truth.
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