Glozel Tablets Mystery: Artifacts or Archaeological Forgery ?
In 1924, at Glozel, near Vichy, a peasant struck while plowing stone blocks, under which he discovered an underground cavity. His grandson took out a clay tablet with signs that none of them, however, could decipher. Armed with their find, the two men turned to an amateur archaeologist from Vichy. The steps that followed degenerated into a veritable controversy: while for some, the Glozel tablets constituted a fantastic discovery, others saw only a rude forgery.
Controversy around the artifacts
There are several versions of how Dr. Antonin Morlet, an amateur archaeologist, came to oppose Dr. Louis Capitan, a renowned archaeologist. One thing is certain, however: when he learned about the Glozel tablets, Dr. Morlet organized excavations and discovered in this same cavity other clay tablets as well as bones. After some research, Antonin Morlet wrote a memoir about them and sent it to Dr. Capitan. The latter responded with enthusiasm, then went to Glozel to undertake excavations in his turn and recover the discovery on his own.
No doubt Morlet did not agree with this way of proceeding: the fact remains that he published, shortly after the arrival of the expert, under his name and that of the peasant who had discovered them, an article in which he claimed that these tablets probably dated from 8,000 BC. Dr. Capitan violently refuted Morlet's conclusions, questioned his skills, and asserted that the Glozel artifacts were really nothing but fakes. He put forward several arguments for this, including the fact that no civilization of that time had a writing system. Furthermore, it could not be said with certainty whether it was a language, because it was impossible to recognize in these signs any articulation in words or in sentences.
The controversy continued for several years and other experts got involved. But the start of World War II abruptly put an end to these discussions and Glozel's tablets sank into oblivion.
Rediscovery and dating
Towards the end of the 1970s, discussions on the authenticity of Glozel's runes resumed. As the techniques had evolved in the meantime, it was possible to date the clay tablets and the bones. Research revealed that the oldest piece, a flat bone, was around 17,000 years old, while the other bones were only 15,000 years old. As for clay tablets, they did not appear until much later, probably around the year 600 BC. Of course, other tablets may have existed, but they have not been preserved until today.
Given their age, it is now almost impossible to decipher these tablets, especially since we cannot manage to isolate words or sentences. Some scientists have also attempted to interpret them as astronomical or cult documents, but these assumptions are also highly controversial.
Even today, scientists do not have the same position regarding this discovery. If for some experts, Glozel's tablets are authentic, others continue to take them for hoaxes. Some publications question the very existence of these discoveries. In any event, these debates largely contributed to reinforce and perpetuate the myth of the Glozel runes.
Other runes in other parts of the world
It was long believed that Glozel's runes were unique in the world, until other tablets with similar inscriptions were discovered in China. Discovered in a prehistoric village, these tablets date from around 8000 BC. Other signs, very close to the Glozel runes, were also discovered in Australia.
