Eliseo Gil Sentenced

Eliseo Gil

It would be interesting to know just how many cases of antiquities dealers there are where one of them has been jailed for selling fake antiquities, when we know that the markets are absolutely brimming with them. Some of them also get 'specialists' to write certificates of authenticity for them. 

But Spanish authorities are keeping an eye on the phenomenon. As a sequel to an earlier post: PACHI Friday, 7 February 2020, 'Graffiti Finds Subject to Court Case', Eliseo Gil, the archaeologist who "discovered" the ostraca at Iruña-Veleia (Álava) has been sentenced to 2 years jail and fined. A nuclear physicist who provides reports supporting their authenticity also received a sentence of 1 year 3 months. Óscar Escribano, a geologist, pleaded guilty and received a one-year sentence and a fine.


See also: Sam Jones 'Spanish archaeologist sentenced for faking Basque finds'. Guardian 11 Jun 2020.