Beardmore Relics
By Elijah Wakefield
Beardmore Relics
What are the Beardmore Relics
There has been controversy over the existence of the Beardmore Relics, a cache of Viking Age artifacts found near Beardmore, Ontario, Canada, in the 1930s. The cache is said to consist of a Viking Age sword, an axe head, and an item of unknown purpose (perhaps part of a shield). Although the authenticity of the fragments is not generally disputed, the "discovery" is commonly regarded as a hoax. The Royal Ontario Museum purchased the relics from the man credited with finding them in the 1930s. For about twenty years, the relics were prominently displayed by the museum; however, in 1956–1957, the museum was forced to take them down following a public inquiry. Around this time, the son of the supposed discoverer confessed that his father had planted the relics.
