Fantasy and Forgeries: Catching James Mellaart in his Web of Lies
Inside the Mind of a Forger
What is reputation in the world of art and archaeology? Why would the world’s premier archaeologist of the 1950-60s put his life’s work on the line to tell lies? To catch a forger, you must think like a forger, so let’s dive into the fantastically twisted brain of James Mellaart.
James Mellart. Photograph by Omar Hoftun. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:James_Mellaart_at_%C3%87atalh%C3%B6y%C3%BCk.png
James Mellaart was an internationally renowned archaeologist, admired by all and described as “gifted” and “brilliant.” He had a prolific and successful career, accomplishing extraordinarily important work. From a young age, he seemed to have a gift for finding hidden treasures like an Iron Age brooch he supposedly found in a desolate hillfort. Off of a mere inclination, he discovered the neolithic city of Çatalhöyük, one of the earliest cities ever found that is critically important in our understanding of human history. His brilliant theory that the legendary Sea People existed in modern Western Turkey still carries weight today.
Çatalhöyük. Murat Ozsoy. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%C3%87atalh%C3%B6y%C3%BCk,_7400_BC,_Konya,_Turkey_-_UNESCO_World_Heritage_Site,_06.jpg
But did he take his Sea People theory too far? He certainly went to great lengths to make others agree with his belief. Despite his immense talent and passion for archaeology, Mellaart committed an egregious crime against the world of art: forgery.
But why did he do it? In my mind, it was precisely because of his success and talent that Mellaart’s sense of self became inflated enough to drive him to form his own narration of history, and his importance in the archaeology world allowed him to almost get away with it. Some people just don’t understand their limits.
By attempting to tip the scale of his fame too far, Mellaart ruined his career. I do not think any of his work should be taken at face value, and any consideration of his theories or discoveries must be considered in the context of his deceit.
Flirting with Fakes
One of Mellaart’s most exciting ‘discoveries’ was that of the Royal Treasure of Dorak. As Mellaart told it, he was on a train on the way to Izmir late at night when the beautiful young woman across from him with a dazzling gold bracelet approached him. She introduced herself as Anna Papastrati and invited him back to her home to see her collection of treasures similar to her bracelet.
Zach Guinta. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mystery_Woman_(Unsplash).jpg
The side adventure turned into a three day stay as Mellaart allegedly sketched and took notes of Papastrati’s extensive and lavish collection, though according to him, photography of the pieces was strictly forbidden. After the encounter, Mellaart attempted to have his drawings published and used as the first ‘solid evidence’ of his beloved theory on the Sea People of the Eastern Mediterranean.
This sultry and deliciously intriguing story sounds straight out of one of George Lucas’s Indiana Jones movies, and it is equally fictitious. Upon investigation, Papastrati’s supposed address could not be found, and the area it supposedly existed in was a commercial zone not available for residences. Furthermore, ‘Anna Papastrati’ and her treasures were never found or heard from again.
Mellaart didn’t even take the time to construct forgeries. He thought his drawings and notes would be taken as fact. Unsurprisingly, the press declined to publish his notes, and scholars are still left divided as to whether or not any of the story is true.
Gary Stewart. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bullwhip_and_IJ_hat.jpg
With such an elaborate tale, Mellaart could have written an excellent fiction novel or even film, but why did he insist his fantasy was reality? What was going on in his brain?
I believe his importance led Mellaart to chase further fame, and a sexy flashy mystery served as a way to draw attention and admiration from not only fellow archeologists but also the general public. And yet, the convenient ‘evidence’ would also legitimize his Sea People theory, perhaps his one great wish. If only his audience was as gullible as he presumed.
But Wait! There’s More!
If you thought the Dorak Affair was a crazy story, imagine the forgeries that Mellaart actually took the time to construct. Mellaart was a prolific forger, and he forged at least seventy geometric murals ‘from Çatalhöyük,’ and fabricated the Beyköy Text and Luwian hieroglyphs. Unfortunately, he was also accused of theft when genuine Turkish artifacts from his digs appeared on the antiquities market.
Allegedly “reconstructed” mural from Çatalhöyük. ©Luwian Studies. https://popular-archaeology.com/article/james-mellaart-pioneer-and-forger/
A Sad and Desperate Theorist
Despite the lies, Mellaart was not necessarily an evil man. He had so much passion for his work and his theories about ancient civilizations. Perhaps he just wanted to compose enough evidence to make others value his theories as much as he did.
Due to his lies, however, Mellaart’s theories cannot be taken seriously. His work should not be regarded as anything but the product of lies, a forgery of honest archaeology.
James Mellaart, a brilliant mind tainted by ego, altered the archaeological history of the Eastern Mediterranean in the mid 20th century through lies and forgeries. Who knows how much further he would have gone had his lies been successful? Would you tell a lie to make yourself famous?
Stay tuned for next week’s blog post about the shocking mental illness that caused this museum guard to deface a painting while on shift.
#stayscandalous
Written by Joe Coolidge
Joe Coolidge is a museum studies minor at Colgate University with a special interest in controversies in the modern art world.
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