Skull scandal in Rhineland-Palatinate: Manipulation of finds uncovered!

Skull scandal in Rhineland-Palatinate: Manipulation of finds uncovered!

In a surprising turn within the archaeological community in Rhineland-Palatinate, it turned out that a large number of historical skulls were wrongly dated. Checks carried out by an external institute in Mannheim have shown that at least 21 skulls or their fragments come from either the Middle Ages or modern times, even though they were originally dated into the fifth century BC.

The Rhineland-Palatinate Inner State Secretary Nicole Schneider showed the opportunity in a press conference that an employee of the General Directorate could have deliberately manipulated the finds. This was seen by many as a serious accusation, since such counterfeits could not only undermine the credibility of science, but could also impair future research. According to Schneider, the affected civil servant is currently being determined in a disciplinary manner, and the end of his civil service could threaten.

background of the review

The event for this comprehensive investigation was a confidential request from a university that had expressed doubts about the civil servant's dissertation about the skull found. This dissertation was already several years old and was based on the controversial finds. Schneider explained that there could also be other scientific works that are based on these fake data, which illuminates the even more far -reaching effects of this finds.

In order to protect itself from further scientific damage, it was decided to inform the public about these incidents. The skulls and fragments were found during several emergency excavations in the Koblenz area, where archaeological finds have to be secured quickly due to upcoming excavation work. This indicates that the hurry when securing this finds of the quality and accuracy of the dating could not do justice. Otto, the head of the GDKE, has announced that all outstanding finds are checked, starting with the finds from Koblenz.

This incident is of great importance for the archaeological community, since doubts about the basics of research and publications are raised. The incident shows how important the integrity of data and its correct interpretation in science are. The review by external experts from Cologne and Schleswig-Holstein is intended to help ensure clear clarification of the facts.

The discussion about this topic not only takes place within academic circles, but also aroused public interest. Archeology is a branch of science that is often regarded as undisputed, but the current case illustrates the fragility and need for transparency in this discipline.

Although the exact numbers of how many other finds could be affected are currently still unclear, it remains to be seen which further discoveries or even scandals come to light. In any case, this incident underlined the importance of careful and responsible research, which is essential for credibility and progress in science. In order to obtain more detailed information, further updates can be expected from the institutions involved. More information is also in an article on ww.deutschlandfunk.de to read.