We not only learn this, but also about the discoverer of Europe, the nature of J-Lo’s bootie and the Vikings.

On December 18th 1912 one of the greatest archeological hoaxes began with the apparent discovery of the Piltdown Man in East Sussex, England. Amateur archeologist Charles Dawson had been digging his way through a gravel pit for three years when he chanced upon a fantastic discovery.

Piltdown man is one of the most famous frauds in the history of archaeology. The sensational discovery,of this “fossil hominid”, which supposedly proved that man and ape shared common ancestor, was in the end nothing but a clever counterfeit.

Archaeological forgery is the fabrication of purportedly ancient items that are sold in the antiquities market and may sometimes even end up in museums. Fame and money are usually the reasons why most archaeological forgeries are perpetrated. Here are six notable archaeological hoaxes in history.