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For several years, the art trade in London has known about the possible existence of the "treasure of the western cave", dating from the 6th century BC. It was said to have been discovered "by farmers" in western Iran around 1992. Out of between 200 and 600 pieces, only a few have so far "surfaced". The Iranians were very angry that they managed to seize only part of the collection and that the rest was taken abroad illegally. But now they may worry less. An academic paper has just produced convincing evidence that at least one piece is a fake (赝品).
Fakes always exist in the world of antiquities(古物), but what is astonishing is how widespread they are now. A report from the Archaeological Institute of America concludes that no less than 80 per cent of all "ancient" west African pieces on the market are fake. How can this "forgery(伪造) culture" boom? It is found that about 80 per cent of the antiquities traded have no clear source. In other words, it is not known where they were found and therefore, even if they are real, they can tell us little about ancient history.
People in the trade say that the majority of these objects were found in "casual discoveries". Shamefully, they know that this is not true. They advance the fiction because it suits their commercial purposes. The reality is that the objects come from robbery, not by local farmers "happening" on a few finds. The "treasure of the western cave" is a classic example of how faking works.
Faking is big business, and is of such a standard that even the greatest scholars may be fooled some of the time. The antiquities trade likes to play down not only the extent of robbery and faking, but also the overlap between the two. These latest reports let the cat out of the bag. But it is the overlap with robbed antiquities that is the most significant factor, which leads to the culture of forgery.
Collectors of antiquities need to be aware that they not only aid the robbery of potentially invaluable sites, but put themselves at the mercy of fakers as well….