Tucson Artifacts controversy

Record summary

A group of inscribed lead or metal objects known as the Tucson Artifacts, including crosses and purported Latin inscriptions, was promoted as evidence of an ancient Roman or Christian presence in Arizona. They attracted attention in the 1920s and afterward, but archaeologists and historians identified serious problems in style, language, corrosion, provenance, and discovery circumstances. The episode is useful for comparing claims of Old World contact with material authentication and contextual archaeology. The exact find sequence and the roles of collectors and promoters need verification in contemporary Arizona and museum records.