Latin-inscribed artifacts unearthed near Silverbell Road between 1924 and 1930 stirred lingering controversy.

EVENT: Romans in Tucson? The Story of an Archaeological Hoax.

DATE/TIME: Tuesday, December 1, 2009 at 6:00 pm.

LOCATION: Casa Vicente, 375 S. Stone Avenue, Tucson, AZ.

ADMISSION: Free and open to the community—all are welcome. Guests are encouraged to support our host, Casa Vicente, by buying their own food and drinks.

The Center for Desert Archaeology and Casa Vicente invite all to the next meeting of Archaeology Café, a casual, happy hour-style discussion forum dedicated to promoting community engagement with cultural and scientific research. Visit www.sciencecafes.org for more information on this exciting grassroots movement.

The next Archaeology Café will convene on Tuesday, December 1, 2009. This month, we will be joined by Don Burgess, former General Manager of KUAT TV. Thirty-one Latin-inscribed lead crosses and a caliche plaque collectively known as the Silverbell Artifacts confounded scholars at the time of their appearance over the years between 1924 and 1930. The items appeared to attest to Roman presence in southern Arizona between A.D. 775 and 940. Don will tell the story behind the story, and dispel the myths surrounding this deliberate hoax. The legacy of this incident continues to this day, as Arizona State Museum and Arizona History Museum curators can attest from the yearly inquiries they receive.

Come settle in with a drink and a plate of delicious tapas at downtown Tucson’s own Casa Vicente. We meet the first Tuesday of each month from September through May at 6:00 p.m.; presentations begin at 6:15 p.m. Seating is open—be ready to make new acquaintances! Our forum opens with a brief, informal presentation on a timely or even controversial topic, followed by a question and answer period and a short break. Moderator Doug Gann then commences spirited but focused discussion.

The Center for Desert Archaeology videotapes these events and plans to stream them on our website, www.cdarc.org, for the benefit of the community and our more distant supporters and friends.