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The Piltdown Men
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
November 13, 2021
Even when the book got off track, I still found it greatly entertaining most of the time. Millar’s “scholarly” writing style took some getting used to, especially being unexpected from a book from the 70’s. Many of the stories interspersed with the Piltdown story were nothing short of zany, like the time anthropologists decided the best way to date a jaw was to saw it in half, and the time that some anthropologists were camping in the jungle only to get feces flung at them from some unknown species of ape.
However, even these odd stories were mostly ruined for me by the racism that was also sprinkled through the book. I know that “scientific racism”—which I prefer to call racist pseudoscience—was accepted and not seen as wrong at that time, but it was still extremely off-putting, and it still was wrong.
Read more: https://sheseeksnonfiction.blog/2021/...
However, even these odd stories were mostly ruined for me by the racism that was also sprinkled through the book. I know that “scientific racism”—which I prefer to call racist pseudoscience—was accepted and not seen as wrong at that time, but it was still extremely off-putting, and it still was wrong.
Read more: https://sheseeksnonfiction.blog/2021/...
September 27, 2024
AN ARGUMENT THAT CHARLES DAWSON WAS NOT THE HOAXER
Author Ronald Millar wrote in the Introduction to this 1972 book, "Piltdown man ... transfused life into a British paleontology feeble from the proliferation of discoveries of Neanderthal men and other prehistorical artifacts across the Channel... Small wonder that Piltdown man's discoverer, Charles Dawson... was congratulated and feted...
'Then came the shock. In 1953---some forty years later---it was announced that Piltdown man was a forgery. He was an amalgam of a modernish skull with the jaw of a modern orangutan... It was obvious that the forger was Charles Dawson... But even a superficial examination of the facts which surround the mysterious Piltdown forgery reveals that that the assumption that because Dawson got the fame he should receive the blame is by no means unassailable..."
He says, "[Arthur Smith] Woodward waited until ... two years after [Dawson's death] to announce sensationally that his late friend had in fact discovered a second Piltdown man. The delay is strange and indeed unkind if the modern view that Dawson's lust for glory was the reason for the forgery is correct. Nothing would have pleased [Dawson] more than to pass away to the sound of acclaim." (Pg. 145)
He suggests about J.S. Weiner's work 'The Piltdown Forgery,' "His excellent account ... is marred by a strong bias against Dawson... In the book Woodward and Teilhard de Chardin are summarily dismissed as suspects and appear as lay figures manipulated by the puppeteer and arch-villain Dawson... Weiner obviously believed in Dawson's guilt from the outset, just as I was biased in favour of Dawson's innocence." (Pg. 224-225)
He argues, "One of my main objections to the assumption that Dawson is inevitably the culprit is that as the discoverer he was wide open to suspicion. He is too obvious a culprit... he surely could not have expected that it would withstand scientific enquiry forever. I find it impossible to believe that Dawson would pit his meagre knowledge ... against that of any skilled human anatomist. the strain on the nerves would be too great... I argue that a forger of such subtlety is beyond the conception of a layman such as Dawson." (Pg. 226-227)
He continues, "Sir Arthur Woodward has hitherto entirely escaped suspicion. He seems to have gained even more from Piltdown in the way of fame than Dawson. His long friendship with Dawson would have assured that the 'planted' bones would be returned to him almost automatically. We have only his word that Dawson discovered Piltdown man II. He had ready access to human and animal fossils. He could have sneaked the orang-utan jaw from the museum collection. But Woodward can, I think, be dismissed on the grounds that he was too dedicated, too studious, for such an undertaking." (Pg. 231-232)
He contends, "The other successful searcher at Piltdown was Père Teilhard de Chardin. The evidence against the priest is as black, if not blacker, than that against Dawson. One has merely to recall the incredulity of Dawson and Woodward when Teilhard de Chardin discovered the missing canine tooth in a stretch of gravel which had just been thoroughly searched... he did in fact arrive in England too late to have 'planted' the original find in 1908. It is just possible, however, that he might have added the ... molar to gain some kudos. That he likewise planted the controversial canine is highly doubtful." (Pg. 232-233)
He eventually targets Sir Grafton Eliot Smith, however: "What was Smith's motive? ... Smith would have loved a chuckle at the expense of what he thought... was stick-in-the-mud paleoanthropology and anatomy. Somehow the whole affair reeks of Smith...
"So Piltdown man can be summed up as a hoax that went sour. It was certainly not intended as a forgery that would stand the test of time... Although the realization that Sir Arthur Grafton Smith might be the hoaxer dawned on me about halfway through the preliminary research for this book, try as I may I have not been able to come up with concrete evidence of [his] participation... I do hope, however, that I have shown that Dawson does not fit the bill. And that Smith does." (Pg. 236)
More recent evidence has more strongly indicted Dawson, of course. But Millar's book will be engaging reading for all those studying this issue.
Author Ronald Millar wrote in the Introduction to this 1972 book, "Piltdown man ... transfused life into a British paleontology feeble from the proliferation of discoveries of Neanderthal men and other prehistorical artifacts across the Channel... Small wonder that Piltdown man's discoverer, Charles Dawson... was congratulated and feted...
'Then came the shock. In 1953---some forty years later---it was announced that Piltdown man was a forgery. He was an amalgam of a modernish skull with the jaw of a modern orangutan... It was obvious that the forger was Charles Dawson... But even a superficial examination of the facts which surround the mysterious Piltdown forgery reveals that that the assumption that because Dawson got the fame he should receive the blame is by no means unassailable..."
He says, "[Arthur Smith] Woodward waited until ... two years after [Dawson's death] to announce sensationally that his late friend had in fact discovered a second Piltdown man. The delay is strange and indeed unkind if the modern view that Dawson's lust for glory was the reason for the forgery is correct. Nothing would have pleased [Dawson] more than to pass away to the sound of acclaim." (Pg. 145)
He suggests about J.S. Weiner's work 'The Piltdown Forgery,' "His excellent account ... is marred by a strong bias against Dawson... In the book Woodward and Teilhard de Chardin are summarily dismissed as suspects and appear as lay figures manipulated by the puppeteer and arch-villain Dawson... Weiner obviously believed in Dawson's guilt from the outset, just as I was biased in favour of Dawson's innocence." (Pg. 224-225)
He argues, "One of my main objections to the assumption that Dawson is inevitably the culprit is that as the discoverer he was wide open to suspicion. He is too obvious a culprit... he surely could not have expected that it would withstand scientific enquiry forever. I find it impossible to believe that Dawson would pit his meagre knowledge ... against that of any skilled human anatomist. the strain on the nerves would be too great... I argue that a forger of such subtlety is beyond the conception of a layman such as Dawson." (Pg. 226-227)
He continues, "Sir Arthur Woodward has hitherto entirely escaped suspicion. He seems to have gained even more from Piltdown in the way of fame than Dawson. His long friendship with Dawson would have assured that the 'planted' bones would be returned to him almost automatically. We have only his word that Dawson discovered Piltdown man II. He had ready access to human and animal fossils. He could have sneaked the orang-utan jaw from the museum collection. But Woodward can, I think, be dismissed on the grounds that he was too dedicated, too studious, for such an undertaking." (Pg. 231-232)
He contends, "The other successful searcher at Piltdown was Père Teilhard de Chardin. The evidence against the priest is as black, if not blacker, than that against Dawson. One has merely to recall the incredulity of Dawson and Woodward when Teilhard de Chardin discovered the missing canine tooth in a stretch of gravel which had just been thoroughly searched... he did in fact arrive in England too late to have 'planted' the original find in 1908. It is just possible, however, that he might have added the ... molar to gain some kudos. That he likewise planted the controversial canine is highly doubtful." (Pg. 232-233)
He eventually targets Sir Grafton Eliot Smith, however: "What was Smith's motive? ... Smith would have loved a chuckle at the expense of what he thought... was stick-in-the-mud paleoanthropology and anatomy. Somehow the whole affair reeks of Smith...
"So Piltdown man can be summed up as a hoax that went sour. It was certainly not intended as a forgery that would stand the test of time... Although the realization that Sir Arthur Grafton Smith might be the hoaxer dawned on me about halfway through the preliminary research for this book, try as I may I have not been able to come up with concrete evidence of [his] participation... I do hope, however, that I have shown that Dawson does not fit the bill. And that Smith does." (Pg. 236)
More recent evidence has more strongly indicted Dawson, of course. But Millar's book will be engaging reading for all those studying this issue.
June 30, 2025
Some dissertation reading…….
Although I enjoyed this read, i thought how the case was presented and panned out by the end was disappointing. I felt like I learned a lot in terms of context and history of research regarding anthropology (super useful for my lit review!). The actual case of the Piltdown fraud was interesting, with many people involved all being quite influential in anthropology, anatomy and science overall came as a bit of a shock. The author makes it quite clear on who he thinks was the perpetrator and who may have been fooled in the excavations, a lot is open to interpretation.
I would recommend this to any anthropology student for the sole purpose that Piltdown is important for understanding how malleable science can be if it fits the right narrative or supports popular theories. I would recommend to all if anything about anthropology would interest you, it’s a bonus that this book has a who done it vibe to it too!
Although I enjoyed this read, i thought how the case was presented and panned out by the end was disappointing. I felt like I learned a lot in terms of context and history of research regarding anthropology (super useful for my lit review!). The actual case of the Piltdown fraud was interesting, with many people involved all being quite influential in anthropology, anatomy and science overall came as a bit of a shock. The author makes it quite clear on who he thinks was the perpetrator and who may have been fooled in the excavations, a lot is open to interpretation.
I would recommend this to any anthropology student for the sole purpose that Piltdown is important for understanding how malleable science can be if it fits the right narrative or supports popular theories. I would recommend to all if anything about anthropology would interest you, it’s a bonus that this book has a who done it vibe to it too!
May 3, 2025
Charles Dawson's fraud probably is one of the biggest in modern history. Here you'll find the whole incredible story from start to finish with numerous illustrations and photos. It would have been a sensation to see the Piltdown man far older than Neanderthal man but all was a scam. One of the scientific scandals of the bygone century. An intriguing read I can highly recommend!
July 13, 2012
"The Piltdown Men" is a fascinating book by a very good investigative writer. It recounts the story of one of the most successful frauds in modern science, and takes a look at the group of men who were behind the initial "discovery" and who supported it. The culprit has never been found, but it is supposed that it must have been one of this group who first put the elements in place, and triggered the find.
At the same time, this is an interesting look at the state of palaeontology in the early part of the twentieth century. It was due in part to the need for just such a "missing link" that science found the so-called Piltdown Man so plausible. In addition, the fact that "he" happened to turn up on British soil was especially pleasing to the English school, which quickly took the fragmentary evidence under its wing, and proclaimed it loudly. There are a number of incidents related in the book, which make us wonder just how the fraud could have continued for nearly fifty years, as it did. It gives us pause to wonder about the veracity of any scientific assertion whatever, given the interplay of human pride and greed that may be involved. One of the participants in the initial story, who verified it and then supported it to some extent, was the French philosopher and theologian, Teilhard de Chardin. He was just one of several interesting characters who became involved in the story, and probably helped to give it credence.
A very good account by a writer who has also given us one of the most interesting modern books about the King Arthur legend, although it seems to have been completely overlooked. Don't hesitate to read either of these books if you should stumble across them.
At the same time, this is an interesting look at the state of palaeontology in the early part of the twentieth century. It was due in part to the need for just such a "missing link" that science found the so-called Piltdown Man so plausible. In addition, the fact that "he" happened to turn up on British soil was especially pleasing to the English school, which quickly took the fragmentary evidence under its wing, and proclaimed it loudly. There are a number of incidents related in the book, which make us wonder just how the fraud could have continued for nearly fifty years, as it did. It gives us pause to wonder about the veracity of any scientific assertion whatever, given the interplay of human pride and greed that may be involved. One of the participants in the initial story, who verified it and then supported it to some extent, was the French philosopher and theologian, Teilhard de Chardin. He was just one of several interesting characters who became involved in the story, and probably helped to give it credence.
A very good account by a writer who has also given us one of the most interesting modern books about the King Arthur legend, although it seems to have been completely overlooked. Don't hesitate to read either of these books if you should stumble across them.
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