Is the Kalmakara ('Western Cave') Griffin a Fake?

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Oscar Muscarella in a thought-provoking post on SAFECorner ( Cultural Heritage in Danger: The Griffin in Queens: Its Modern History ) reveals that he thinks (and has already published the reasons why) the Kalmakarra Cave griffin is a modern fake.

Of course it does not surprise anyone that the clandestine don't-ask-me-to-tell nature of the trade in newly-"surfaced" artefacts would allow fakes to be passed off as real looted artefacts. We see it daily in ebay, and here we see a suggestion that this is happening at the upper end of the market too. I guess buyers involved in an elaborate process of self deception are easily deceived.

Photo: Now I look more carefully at J.C. Rice's photo of the Kalmakarra Griffin, it does look decidedly improbable.