A US historian whose book on the origins of gun culture caused a furore has been stripped of a prestigious prize after being accused of "unprofessional and misleading work".

Columbia University announced that its trustees had voted to rescind the Bancroft prize awarded last year to Michael A Bellesiles for his book, Arming America: The Origins of a National Gun Culture. It is the first time the prize has been rescinded in its 54-year history. Mr Bellesiles provoked outrage from gun lobbyists by arguing that few colonists in the 18th century owned working guns - they saw it as an effort to suggest that the second amendment's right to bear arms was rooted in myth.

Mr Bellesiles resisted these attacks, but other scholars who tried to replicate his research soon began to make accusations of errors and possible misconduct. He resigned from his post at Emory University in October after an independent panel of scholars strongly criticized his work. Their 40-page report accused Mr Bellesiles of "unprofessional and misleading work," and said that at times it "does move into the realm of falsification."

Mr Bellesiles acknowledged errors and apologized for them. But he also wrote: "I have never fabricated evidence of any kind nor knowingly evaded my responsibilities as a scholar."

Reached by phone at his home on Friday night, Mr Bellesiles told the New York Times: "I have nothing to say."

The university's trustees reached their decision after reviewing other scholars assessments, and they "concluded that he had violated basic norms of scholarship and the high standards expected of Bancroft prize winners." The trustees have also asked for the $4,000 prize money to be returned, a university spokeswoman said.