Andy White Anthropology
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Why Swordgate Is Important

12/29/2015

 
"Fringe" history is big business these days. I won't pretend to have command of the facts and figures about book sales, television revenues, and clickbait internet sites, but it's obvious that there's a lot of money at stake. The profit motive forces to the background any concern with getting the facts right or telling a story that is plausible and consistent with the evidence we have. That's annoying to those of us who actually want to answer the "who," "what," and "why" questions about the past.

Over the course of about a year of engaging with various elements of the "fringe" online, I've been impressed by how the purveyors of "fringe" ideas (who run the gamut from the honestly curious to the outright fraudulent) have adapted to the internet. My sense is that, overall, they have been doing a much better job than professional archaeologists and historians of understanding and using the capabilities of the web to rapidly communicate ideas.  Yes, the celebrated American Antiquity pseudo-archaeology book review section from the past summer was a step in the right direction, but as far as influencing public opinion it was a spitwad aimed at a Sherman tank. We're spending too much energy repeatedly debunking the Top Ten Bogus Artifacts from the last century and far too little energy building the capacity to address new silliness in real time as it emerges.

I've gotten some criticism for how much I've focused on Swordgate (the recent claim that a "Roman sword" was found in the waters of Nova Scotia).  While a few of my readers may be getting bored, I don't think that any of the time or energy I've spent on the issue has been wasted.  Swordgate is important, I think, because it provides an ideal example of how these kinds of battles unfold and what we can actually do to contribute to the story as it develops.  If our response is to wait a year (or five years, or ten years) to note that there are many reasons to doubt the claims about the "Roman sword," we lose.  Sitting back and chuckling in disbelief as various news outlets report that "historians" have found a "Roman sword" that will "rewrite history" is not a helpful strategy of engagement.
I began writing about the "Roman sword" on the very afternoon (December 16) that I saw the original story in the Boston Standard.  I found out about the Boston Standard story not because I pay a lot of attention to the Boston Standard, but because I keep myself tuned into various Facebook groups where these kinds of topics are discussed.  I was able to quickly produce a blog post on the topic because I was familiar with J. Hutton Pulitzer (the main claimant in Swordgate) and knew something about the background of his various claims related to Oak Island.

People interested in the sword story from the beginning (before it was republished by many other online media outlets) were able to find my original post easily: it provided a different perspective for those who were most interested in the story and, consequently, searching for additional information.  As the comments started coming, it was evident that I wasn't the only one who thought something was fishy. One person commented on the post with a link to a site that showed images of a very similar sword in a Florida collection. That led to this post.  Soon after, someone contacted me by email to tell me he also had a similar sword that he had purchased in California (in terms of the number of Facebook likes/shares, the California sword post is the most popular thing I have ever written). By that time, it was clear that a crowd-sourced effort at understanding the meaning of the alleged "Roman sword" was underway. The crowd rooted out another similar sword on Italian Ebay, and it was discovered that modern reproductions of this same Hercules-hilt sword design were available at Walmart and other home/garden stores (the Design Toscano swords).
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The interest in Swordgate shows up in the numbers for my web traffic. This website typically gets about 200-400 unique visitors and about 2000 page views per day.  You can see what happened when Swordgate ramped up: over 4000 unique visitors (and over 8000 page views) on December 18. That doesn't mean that what I wrote was fantastic or special.  It means that people were finding this site to get answers to questions they had about the "Roman sword" claim.  As far as I know, this website was the only place to get an alternative view in the first hours of the story. And it was because this blog ended up being "the place" where an audience could find an alternative perspective on the sword that people began using it to share opinions and information, some of which contributed to the story and helped it develop. That's a fascinating thing, and something that would never be possible through traditional print media.

It's also a phenomenon, I think, that casts the "journalism" I've seen on this topic in a pretty poor light. The stories that have been published about the "Roman sword" are mostly just edited from parts of previous stories. They make me wonder what it means to actually call yourself a journalist these days. Do the "journalists" at these media outlets feel no compulsion or responsibility to ask any critical questions before reprinting this stuff (and slapping their names on it)? I went to journalism school, and I have a journalism degree. I understand what is supposed to be involved in getting a story right. That's not happening out there. Readers of this blog have dug up more interesting information relevant to Swordgate than all the "journalists" put together. While several stories (like this one in The Inquisitr and this one in The Examiner) have appended "updates" pointing to this blog, no journalist has ever contacted me for a different opinion prior to publishing his/her story. Overall, the journalism has been pretty lazy, if you ask me. It's not that I have all the answers, but I can surely help a journalist understand some questions they should consider before endorsing this "re-writing of history" that they've been spoonfed.

It matters to me when people tell lies about the past.  I don't like it, and I think it's problematic for several reasons other than the simple fact that what's wrong is wrong. If you don't agree, you probably stopped reading this a long time ago.  If you agree with me, however, there are several things you can do to help the situation we now find ourselves in (losing the information war).  First, try to understand the information landscape: join Facebook groups that take you outside your peers and into the worlds where claims about the past matter for all kinds of non-academic reasons.  Second, engage: identify nonsense when you see it, and prepare to back up your argument.  Third, create resources: create a presence on the web that will be there for people seeking information. Fourth, keep your finger on the pulse: be prepared to identify and evaluate new claims as they emerge.

This post turned out to be nothing like what I sat down to write. That happens sometimes. Happy New Year!
Gina Torresso
12/29/2015 07:45:10 am

Holly M
12/29/2015 07:53:05 am

Another great example of your posting of a responsible blog. I agree that to just read and accept any and all that is written as truth will close your mind to the reading that drew your attention in to begin with. It is much easier to accept what is written as fact instead of questioning how that person came up with their facts of so called history rewriting. I am thankful that I was given a brain to pull deductions on what I see that may be in question. I am thankful that you Andy have been blogging about swordgate, it's a ridiculous story and the source is even more questionable. Keep on swordgating! The truth will prevail!

Bob Jase
12/29/2015 09:13:46 am

I don't think it's because actual scientists don't know how to use the web, it's that actual science follows constraints that woo doesn't have to.

Got a hypothesis in real science? Develope means of testing it, do so, publish the results in a peer-reviewed publication, have other researchers duplicate the tests and then publish their results in a peer-reviewed publication.

Got a crazy idea in woo? Post it online with as much click-bait in the headline as you can.

See the difference?

Not to mention that actual science studies things like the changes in corn due to cultivation, not exciting to the public and not much to base a movie on.

Woo says (study not needed) alien giants sent by evil gods built the Empire State Building - sold to the first studio/tv network that wants it.

Maleficent
12/29/2015 09:34:43 am

YES! Thank you for understanding why this is so important! Why it's less about the what and far more about the how (and in this case, the who). I will never understand why sensationalism is so much more interesting than reality, but there are a lot of all-day suckers out there. Evil must not be allowed to triumph because good ran out of juice. Blog on!

Peter Geuzen
12/29/2015 10:33:03 am

Having had the chance over the holidays to read a bit of the back story and previous postings on both sides of the coin, one thing that jumps out is JHPs claims back in May of this year that Minoans actually discovered America, and he used the same ‘smoking gun’ hyperbole about artifacts (and he searched, documented, and compared 60,000 artifacts, don’t ya know). How can he swing thousands of years in time to the Romans and the ‘smoking gun’ sword, completely changing his sales pitch in such a short span from spring to fall, and expect to be taken seriously, even by the fringers? The Minoan story obviously got no traction in the media. I guess Romans are sexier than Minoans in terms of media baiting. He of course completely ignores the Vikings as the real discoverers of North America and the fact that this is already widely taught in curriculums across North America, most certainly at College and University level. He doesn’t say the Romans and not the Vikings, no he sticks to the Romans and not Columbus. Why? Maybe because Vikings are sexier that Romans in media terms.

Gina Torresso
12/29/2015 12:20:05 pm

Nice Catch Peter G.

Traveller
12/30/2015 01:27:47 pm

The "Minoan" / copper culture idea was one that he took from somebody and tried to run with. Unfortunately he didn't get all their information, and this person warned others what he did so they turned their backs.

His new "find" to run with is the sword, and once he's done screaming in everybodies faces about how the truth is being stifled he will move on.

Move on to what? Well, my prediction is that he will make a claim to the relation between ancient cultures and giants/bigfoot and start going in that direction.

Andy White
1/3/2016 11:01:49 am

Yeah . . . whatever happened to those Minoans? There were "smoking guns" all over the place with that one.

Crischo link
12/29/2015 10:45:04 am

Your website and the information you provide is important. The amount of historical misinformation that can be found in FB groups is tremendous. Reminds me to the work of Sisyphos or better the fight of Herakles against the Hydra, to correct these “alien“ guys. Unfortunately, they have a strong supporting alliance: the “alien media industry“ who earns good money with strange theories. Seems that such theories satisfy special need in a better and better explored world that became rare of spectacular findings. The reasons why people want to believe in such theories is what should be examined. Sometimes its religion behind, sometimes some kind of fascism and sometimes just stupidity or the lack of knowledge. On the other hand, these people give me a lot of reasons to laugh...e.g. when I read the I could buy such a sword at Walmart or Ebay...hahaha...anyway, thanks for your posts!

Jaap
12/29/2015 12:00:23 pm

Thanks Andy. I see. But I'm in two minds over this. On the one hand I applaud your efforts to educate: I'd join you in the trench if I were younger (if fact I did my time there). Anyway, this battle is yours, even if the war cannot be won ... I trust you'll give it your best shot. Meanwhile I hope there'll be time left for other interests ...

Stan Chan
12/29/2015 06:38:56 pm

Andy, are you a crack pot now? Seems you found a clever way to attach yourself to a massive story, but unfortunately the only "debunking" here is that of your credibility. Hope you are paying attention to tonights Curse Of Oak Island. Any child knows that famous things are replicated and this the case of this sword. The dealers even mention they were made from the originals. As you know all ancient mental tools have very unique signatures from the mines they get made in, unlike the purity castings of replicas. Plus there are also unique features in the sword I read on a blog that is impossible to forge. You should go back to school if you want any real credibility here. Whats also hilarious is that you want to focus on the sword, and not the overwhelming body of evidence that real scientists and professors are presenting based on facts, not humanity induced archaeologists.

Can't wait for the real report to come out. I doubt you'll still be at SC once they figure out you spend more time trashing researchers and looking at your blogs anyalitics than conducting fact based research.

Maleficent
12/29/2015 07:09:35 pm

"Mental tools?" Hahaha Seems you're the one who needs to do some research. Of course, you're clearly one of Jovan's minions, so research is an alien concept to you. Now run along and read a few more of your esteemed leaders blogs so you know what's going on in the world.

Gina Torresso
12/29/2015 07:55:08 pm

No doubt you are a follower of another person who calls himself a researcher. I don't understand your hostility.. ? That's the stuff he instils in his "followers" Andy has good information here.. you should keep an open mind.

Andy White
12/30/2015 04:28:20 am

Hi "Stan."

Thanks for the comment. You are largely repeating Pulitzer's line on the sword, which makes me suspect you are actually him. If so - Hi Hutton!

What is this "unique signature"? It has been asserted, but we haven't been given enough details to evaluate that part of the claim. What makes the signature "unique," and if it's "unique" how do you know it's Roman? I am dubious that the "report" will satisfy those that are looking for real information. Just a guess.

The sword is Pulitzer's self-proclaimed "smoking gun." That's why I'm focusing on it. Having a "smoking gun" means you don't need a whole lot of other evidence to prove your case. The claims about the sword are the obvious ones to focus on, since they are the centerpiece of the whole case. The sword has been put forward as the strongest evidence. Is there another piece of evidence that I should be looking at that's better?

Where is this supposed "original" that all these copies were made from? Demonstrating that there is an authentic, original sword that dates to ancient Rome would indeed make it at least possible that Pulitzer's sword actually is Roman. But so far all we've been given is assertions that such a sword exists. It's mythological until someone produces evidence of it. That evidence has not been forthcoming yet, which makes me suspect that it does not exist. Prove me wrong!

Adding weak coffee to more weak coffee does not produce strong coffee. I think the sword is weak coffee, and everything else is probably also weak coffee. You can mix all that stuff together as much as you want but it won't make something worth drinking.

Is the sword the best evidence? If so I doubt the report will convince anyone of anything. Maybe I'll be surprised by what's in it, but I'm not optimistic.

Peter Geuzen
12/30/2015 08:40:14 am

I agree that focussing on the smoking gun sword makes sense because of the way JHP has put it on a pedestal, but he has been saying in his video streams that there are 50 pieces of evidence that will come out, presumably meaning in the white paper (which as a reminder is not happening “early in the new year” but is now “late spring” – a potential gap of several months). The recent articles have noted 10 things beside the sword: petroglyphs / Mi’kmaq DNA marker / Mi’kmaq language nautical terms / the plant Berberis Vulgaris / Roman whistle found 1901 / the shield boss / Roman coins / carved stones / ship wreck / burial mounds. Are there really 40 more pieces of evidence or do the petroglyphs and language terms count for multiples, who knows? Nonetheless, the only pictures he has provided are the sword, the boss, one glyph, and one coin. The sword has essentially been debunked, the shield boss has been debunked as a fake picture, the glyph has been debunked as most likely showing Mi’kmaq people, and nobody has said anything I think about the coin, so let me be the first. A random coin with no provenance or objective documentation of the find – therefore debunked until further information provided (the same would apply to the whistle, from the list, I assume). From the list of 10, I think as well that Berberis Vulgaris and the DNA marker have been debunked, based on comments to the article. This leaves other things from the list of 10 that still need to be addressed. A couple of these things are discussed in his videos/audio/articles but details are hit and miss and finding them is a challenge unto itself because of his multiple sites and random organization. So, yes, there is more to this than just the sword. The internet debunking community (which I will now call the IDC) could make some presumptions on what the white paper will contain and be proactive, but on the other hand the response to the sword has resulted in the white paper being put off by months. If the IDC provides more debunking before the paper, well then the paper might just get pushed off even further. Waiting for it to come out but having debunking notes ready to go might be appropriate as a reactionary approach. Keep in mind he also needs to see what come out in the rest of the episodes of Curse of Oak Island for this season, to adjust his story and white paper accordingly, plus he is targeting a book launch that presumably will follow immediately after the white paper (and he has been taking pre-orders since early 2015), so there are several key time step things falling in place as the new year unfolds.

Bob Jase
12/30/2015 06:10:59 am

"Plus there are also unique features in the sword "

From Webster's online:

unique
adjective, | unique | yu̇-ˈnēk
Definition of unique

:being the only one :sole

:being without a like or equal :unequaled

:distinctively characteristic :peculiar 1


So if this sword truly is unique then it can't, by definition, be the same as any Roman sword.

Mike Joneslaims
12/30/2015 09:18:54 am

I'm sitting here, waiting on enough break in the storm to allow me to get to work, and I've got CNN playing in the background. I'm struck by how much Donald Trump is like Pulitzer. Grandiose language, extraordinary claims, lashing out at critics, no provable content. Pulitzer's minions are like Trump's, ignoring fact based rebuttal, adherence to their "leader" despite overwhelming evidence that he is an ignorant blowhard. I'd love to see a venn diagram of Trump supporters and believers in Pulitzer's sword claims.

Andy White
1/3/2016 11:00:56 am

In one of his videos, Pulitzer claims to have Trump-like qualities.

Nali link
12/30/2015 07:14:56 pm

I feel so what you mean ....
Fighting again and again against stupid arguments, and explanaing.
But you are not alone (you already know this).
Well..I'm just one of the many (anonymous) readers of your blog.
But what you do is not in vain.

"I",as an example, aften took parts of your blog and translated in my language (which is french and always giving the original source,of course).

I know it s a bit boring...

I m sorry not to be able to help with money, I understand it's "le nerfs de la guerre", but have to feed myself first :P

cfeagans link
1/1/2016 01:50:26 pm

You, too, can have your very own Roman Sword of the Oak Island style from Amazon with free 2-day shipping if you have Prime. But hurry, there's only 1 left in stock (there were two, but for $27.99, I couldn't resist the chance to be part of SwordGate history).
http://www.amazon.com/Design-Toscano-Gladiators-Sword-Pompeii/dp/B009QU8BDI/ref=sr_1_29?ie=UTF8&qid=1451684137&sr=8-29&keywords=Roman%20sword

Andy White
1/1/2016 05:58:51 pm

I ordered mine yesterday. It should be here early next week. I've got a plan.

Gina Torresso
1/1/2016 08:56:41 pm

LOL plan? Andy

Andy White
1/2/2016 07:10:19 am

I've always got a plan. Not necessarily a good one, or one that will work, but I've always got one!

Jason Michael
6/25/2016 02:41:04 pm

It was obvious to me that the sword story was fake, not only because of the clearly "antiqued" appearance but also the simple fact that people have been diving in that area for years and not one noticed a Roman shipwreck. The area around Oak Island has also been surveyed with seabed imaging equipment. The story was ridiculous right from the start. Only people with no knowledge of the region would ever have believed it, which I guess is who he aimed the story at..

Nali
7/2/2016 09:27:51 pm

I remember I wrote all this is funny, and you just gave me shit because I wrote " It s not fun about swords"
So I gave up following.
Have fun .
Being aggressive is rarely useful.


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