The Brooklyn Museum of Art, which is said to be the home of the second largest collection of Coptic art in North America, is questioning the authenticity of some of their pieces. According to The Independent, one of the museum's curators, Dr Edna Russmann, began having doubts about the collection 4 years ago. (It should also be noted that another specialist voiced his concerns about the collection in the 70s).An investigation of the pieces are still underway. However, some conclusions have been formulated. The Independent states: "Although some chemical testing on the works has yet to be completed, Dr. Russmann considers that 10 of the 30 examples of Coptic art held by the museum are phoney. Moreover, about half the other pieces have probably been extensively recarved and retouched."
Instead of trying to camouflage their findings, the museum will display the inauthentic pieces in an exhibit in February.
The museum's findings show that we can never be 100% sure about history; we can only give our best investigative efforts. For one thing, our efforts will reward us with entertaining stories and mysteries, at the very least. There's never a dull moment with all of the historical plots and counter-plots.
[SIDEBAR: I wonder what's the story behind how the museum acquired the fugazy pieces. This is like The DaVinci Code: Reloaded.]
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