Spanish archaeologist sentenced for faking Basque finds

Third-century' artefacts with hieroglyphics and Basque words referred to non-existent gods and to Rene Descartes

A Spanish archaeologist whose staggering discoveries included one of the earliest representations of the crucifixion and proof that the written Basque language was centuries older than previously thought has been found guilty of faking the finds.

The saga began in June 2006 when Eliseo Gil presented artefacts excavated from the Roman town of Veleia, near the Basque city of Vitoria.