The Piltdown Papers, 1908-55

After the detection of the Piltdown forgery in 1953, attempts were made to identify the perpetrator of this elaborate scientific hoax. There were a number of suspects, but no conclusive evidence was brought forward. Speculation has since continued, but without positive result, largely because only limited information has been generally available about the history of the episode and the individuals who were directly or indirectly involved. Dr Spencer here presents a selection of some 500 letters and other relevant documents covering the period from 1912, when the remains were first described, to the 1950s. The material has been culled largely from the archives of the British Museum (Natural History). The resulting annotated catalogue provides a resource for those interested in the history of science as well as the basis for a reassessment of the Piltdown episode and a fresh attempt to identify the forger. A general account of the Piltdown affair is presented in the companion volume, "The Piltdown Forgery".