It's a long-standing topic among fringe historians, conspiracy theorists, and all manner of people. The idea that some ancient peoples from the Old World arrived in the Americas before Columbus or even before the Vikings.
From Solutrean hypothesis, which posits that European Indians settled the continent around 13,500 years ago, to the Polynesians, the ancient Egyptians, Romans, Israelites, the Mali Empire and other African cultures, Arabs, the Phoenicians, and the classic tale of Zheng He's purported visit to the Americas in 1421. There are so many different proposals for the idea that it's hard to keep track.
A lot of these are obviously based on flawed evidence, but what I'm asking isn't whether or not they did. I'm asking if they could have. Between antiquity and late 15th century, were there any other groups who had the capability to reach the Americas? If so, how could they have managed it?
And if they did, could they have established a colony or at least returned home?
From Solutrean hypothesis, which posits that European Indians settled the continent around 13,500 years ago, to the Polynesians, the ancient Egyptians, Romans, Israelites, the Mali Empire and other African cultures, Arabs, the Phoenicians, and the classic tale of Zheng He's purported visit to the Americas in 1421. There are so many different proposals for the idea that it's hard to keep track.
A lot of these are obviously based on flawed evidence, but what I'm asking isn't whether or not they did. I'm asking if they could have. Between antiquity and late 15th century, were there any other groups who had the capability to reach the Americas? If so, how could they have managed it?
And if they did, could they have established a colony or at least returned home?