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Why do newly discovered types of ancient art often attract forgeries?

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Hear about William Henry Ireland's fake manuscripts of William Shakespeare including a letter written to his wife — Forgery A look at a letter supposedly written by William Shakespeare to his wife, Anne Hathaway; it was, in fact, faked by William-Henry Ireland.

Newly discovered types of ancient art often attract forgeries because they create an immediate, high-demand market before scholars have established a sufficient body of knowledge to distinguish authentic pieces from imitations.1

When a new civilization or art style is identified, the scarcity of genuine items drives up prices, incentivizing forgers to capitalize on the lack of expertise regarding the period's specific materials, techniques, and iconography. Because experts have not yet developed a definitive corpus or standardized criteria for authentication, detection becomes extremely difficult. Forgers often exploit this "knowledge gap" by producing competent imitations that may even be created in the same geographic regions as the original finds, further complicating efforts to verify their origins.12

Ultimately, the combination of high market value, collector enthusiasm, and the absence of established academic consensus provides a fertile environment for fraudulent works to enter the market. As with all art, it is ethically imperative that the market prioritizes transparency and rigorous provenance research to protect the integrity of cultural history and prevent the misrepresentation of ancient cultures.123