Who doesn't like to find buried treasure, whether it be in the form of golden riches or something arguably greater: an object that alters human history in a fundamental way? This drive to unearth archaeological fame has driven many bold claims, claims that, though often lambasted by experts, can be surprisingly difficult to dislodge from a public that's readily awed by them.
"The logical inadequacy to disprove historical scenarios, combined with an all too human wish to be part of a spectacular discovery, have laid the foundation for many archaeological controversies," Gert Jan van 'T Land wrote in a 2016 article published to Skeptic Magazine.
Some of those many controversies have occurred right here in the United States. Here are four of them:
1. "America's Stonehenge." Located in the picturesque Northeast town of Salem, New Hampshire, America's Stonehenge is a collection of rocks and stone ruins that – it must be noted – looks nothing like the actual Stonehenge. First dubbed "Mystery Hill' in 1937 by then-owner and insurance executive William Goodwin, the site was rebranded to its current moniker in 1982 to capitalize on a rising story for its origins, one fueled by amateur archaeologists: that it was created by Stone Age Europeans around 4,000 years ago.
