AH:Dante was right

At the end of Dante's Inferno, Dante manages to escape, travels through the center of the Earth and comes back above ground exactly opposite from Jerusalem.

So, Geographic POD: An island equal in size to that of the Walled city of Jerusalem (pick your wall :) ) *exists* exactly half way around the world from Jerusalem. ( So, 31.78 deg S, 144.78 deg W). It is about 300 miles SW of the south end of French Polynesia and about 500 miles ENE of Wachusett Reef. It is uninhabited.

1) Which European power is most likely to end up with it?
2) How long before someone figures out that this island is *exactly* the antipode of Jerusalem?
3) Any likely results of figuring this out?
 
the Island isn't found till around the time of Captan Cook or latter, so post age of reason, they can say that its about on the other side, but I doubt any one till the age of satellites will really understand how close they are, it might get named something Jerusalem related but for 200 years or so people would roll their eyes at that.
 
im under the impression that this island was created when satan crashed to earth with such force that it caused the island to appear on the other side of the planet (and, indeed, in the middle of the ocean). wasnt it huge and mountainous?

or am i utterly mistaken, having never read the Divine Comedy in its entirety?
 
He never said 'exactly the same size as Jerusalem' BTW.

Anyway, I'm under the impression that the mountain of Purgatory is very large indeed. Certainly Hawaian Volcanoe size, possibly higher.
 
The island would be in the middle of a warm ocean current from the Cook Islands. So I'm guessing that it would be a tropical place in spite of being so far south, and that the Polynesians would find it before Europeans did. What sort of culture they would build would depend on what sort of resources they had to work with.
 
if we assume that it was created by a sudden upheaval of the ocean floor on a single point (ie, satan colliding with the earth on the other side of the planet), then i imagine it would be virtually barren. maybe, with all those presumed cliffs, it would be a nesting place of birds. if there are beaches, then it may well be a rest spot for turtles or seals

EDIT: oh my god, this is my 666th post :eek: :D
 
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I would expect that it would be just one more island to colonize.

An island formed by volcanic upheaval won't necessarily be barren. Erosion and weathering over long enough period of time can turn basalt and magma into a perfectly good soil, look at Hawaii.

Eventually, they figure out that it is the exact antipodes, and that becomes a question in trivial pursuit. Some fringe religious groups and Dante enthusiasts place some importance on this, and there are even a few tourist spots built on the island related to the idea.

Dante's Inferno is a popular bar located on the north coast, where the surfing is best. They make a great Mai Tai there.
 
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