Archaeologica.org

Looks like the map is genuine.


http://www.reuters.com/article/scienceN ... 8320090717

COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - The 15th century Vinland Map, the first known map to show part of America before explorer Christopher Columbus landed on the continent, is almost certainly genuine, a Danish expert said Friday.

I have forgotten.
How far south did it trace the NA coast?

From images it looks like it shows Vinland as an island...roughly corresponding to Labrador?

Hi

I really dont fint it that interesting historically. As far as i remember, british walers did know there was land in the north west at the time of Columbus (i dont have any sources its just someting i remember). People were living on Greenlan until the 14. th century. One of the scientist at the vikingship museum told me, that he thinks that one of the reasons Columbus took a south route, was that he wanted to make sure that he didnt hit the islands at the north (He didnt set out to go to America, but asia).



Kim

Colombo got around.
I recall he sailed those far north waters.
Not as a captian but as a mate I belive.
I do not recall if he reported sighting western lands.

Gavin Menzies would have us belive he took the southern route because he had Chinese maps that showed the Caribbean.

Colombo got around.
I recall he sailed those far north waters.
Not as a captian but as a mate I belive.
I do not recall if he reported sighting western lands.

Colombo was in Iceland in 1477. Apparently, he did not get to Greenland but he would have known about it. The codfish trade was very active prior to 1492 and contested in the northern waters between a few different groups. Cod became important because of the Church restriction on meat during fasting days (153 of them during the year).

http://books.google.com/books?id=oO79FR ... t&resnum=3