A history of the Piltdown hoax

The history of the Piltdown hoax and its importance in convincing the world of Darwin's theory is reviewed. Compelling evidence existed from the beginning that the find was a hoax or, at the very least, was not evidence for human evolution. Yet for decades, Piltdown was touted by textbooks, articles, and major museums (including the American Museum of Natural History in New York) as major evidence of human evolution. The hoax is an excellent illustration of the difficulties in drawing conclusions about evolution from fossils. The hoax convinced many people of the validity of Darwinism, but its final, definitive exposure did little to alter the basic views of most Darwinists.