The drama of #Swordgate continues, unmitigated by the fact that the Nova Scotia sword has been fairly conclusively demonstrated to be of modern manufacture.
If you're still on the fence about whether the sword is Roman or not, you're probably eagerly looking forward to the latest "proof" that we're told is on the way: a 200-page document that J. Hutton Pulitzer says will finally make the case for the sword and show why he's right and everyone else is wrong. The report, we're told, is supposed to be released on "the 15th." I presume that's the 15th of February but, as one person on Facebook remarked, it could just as easily refer to the 15th of Nevuary. I've learned not to hold my breath for these things.
I wanted to pass on a statement this morning by Kevin Burns, the executive producer of The Curse of Oak Island. Burns wrote a letter to Frank Magazine in response to a story by Mike Gorman titled "The Curse of Hoax Island" (Frank Magazine is only accessible online with a subscription, but I wrote a bit about the original story here and you can find a scan posted here). Regarding the sword, Burns writes the following (emphasis in original):
If you're still on the fence about whether the sword is Roman or not, you're probably eagerly looking forward to the latest "proof" that we're told is on the way: a 200-page document that J. Hutton Pulitzer says will finally make the case for the sword and show why he's right and everyone else is wrong. The report, we're told, is supposed to be released on "the 15th." I presume that's the 15th of February but, as one person on Facebook remarked, it could just as easily refer to the 15th of Nevuary. I've learned not to hold my breath for these things.
I wanted to pass on a statement this morning by Kevin Burns, the executive producer of The Curse of Oak Island. Burns wrote a letter to Frank Magazine in response to a story by Mike Gorman titled "The Curse of Hoax Island" (Frank Magazine is only accessible online with a subscription, but I wrote a bit about the original story here and you can find a scan posted here). Regarding the sword, Burns writes the following (emphasis in original):
"Rick, Marty, and Craig Tester reluctantly purchased the sword -- at my urging -- on the remote chance it could be real. We always knew it would have to be professionally tested . . .
We never claimed otherwise. Testing it on camera, however, was essential if we were ever going to quiet Mr. Pulitzer.
Therefore, purchasing the sword was done to (A) test it to see if it could be real, (B) discredit Mr. Pulitzer and (C) create compelling television."
We never claimed otherwise. Testing it on camera, however, was essential if we were ever going to quiet Mr. Pulitzer.
Therefore, purchasing the sword was done to (A) test it to see if it could be real, (B) discredit Mr. Pulitzer and (C) create compelling television."
So it appears that Pulitzer is correct, in a sense, that he has been the victim of a conspiracy. It has not been a conspiracy to hide the Romanity of the sword from the world, however, but a conspiracy to make him look bad. I would say that Burns' plan succeeded. All he had to do was provide the petard. Pulitzer was apparently all too happy to hoist himself on it.
There will be a guest blog post coming later today from someone who knows much more about swords than I do - stay tuned!
There will be a guest blog post coming later today from someone who knows much more about swords than I do - stay tuned!
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