Big news: The Smithsonian has agreed to PXRF testing of Valentine Museum/Mount Pisgah relics. PXRF uses a calibrated laser for non-destructive elemental analysis. Earlier thermoluminescence tests indicated pottery rather than steatite, while Smithsonian's 1883 fraud theory was never backed by material testing. Secretary Spencer Baird's 1886 letters add intrigue.
Smithsonian agrees to PXRF testing of disputed Valentine Museum relics
Key facts
- Smithsonian Institution agreed to PXRF testing of the Valentine Museum/Mount Pisco relics
- Earlier thermoluminescence testing gave two positive results indicating pottery rather than steatite
- Smithsonian originated the fraud theory in 1883 without conducting material testing
- PXRF uses a calibrated laser to test elemental composition non-destructively
- Smithsonian Secretary Spencer Baird wrote letters in 1886 to Mr. Valentine
- Baird's first letter threatened Valentine; a later letter retracted and encouraged publication in the American Antiquarian
- Baird eventually changed the Smithsonian position to distinguish between Valentine's artifacts and Smithsonian artifacts
Sources
5 Churches That Hold the Bones of Saint Valentinechurchpop.com
Inside this Carmelite church lies a shrine containing part of Saint Valentine's relics, gifted by Pope Gregory XVI in the 19th century. Couples ...
The Real Valentine: A Martyr's Skull Now on the Mapblog.therelicproject.org
According to tradition, beneath the high altar rest the relics of St. Valentine, a 3rd century priest and martyr. St. Valentine did not become ...
Explore 10 Saint valentine Collectionsatlasobscura.com
Relics of St. Valentine at Iglesia de San Antón. Inside this church are the alleged remains of the patron saint of lovers, epileptics, and beekeepers.
Where are St. Valentine's relics?britannica.com
Where are St. Valentine's relics? Numerous churches claim to possess St. Valentine's relics. These include his skull at the Basilica di Santa Maria.
An Unfinished Museum: 125 Years of the Valentinestorymaps.arcgis.com
In the early 1880s, Mann Valentine purchased a large group of carved stone figures found at Mount Pisgah in northern North Carolina. they were ...
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