Earliest possible crossing of the Atlantic?

the distance is not that much less. Just take a look at this map that shows how it looked like back then.

That's only the land, much of the North Atlantic was covered by Ice sheets which would have theoreticaly allowed crossing by 'land'.
 
That's only the land, much of the North Atlantic was covered by Ice sheets which would have theoreticaly allowed crossing by 'land'.
iirc, that's part of the theory concerning the bering land bridge: that it wasnt really a landbridge because of lower sea levels, but that it was frozen over
 
Really? I`ve never heard of that. Any good links?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abubakari_II

Crossing the Atlantic is a lot easier than everyone seems to think. You do not need caravels, or longships, compasses, stern rudders, fore-and-aft sails, or any of the many things that have been suggested as the turning points in oceanic voyages. All you need is something that will float, an understanding of seafaring, and balls of brass. People have documentably crossed the Atlantic with two-man surfboards, reed boats, pedalboats, curraghs and kayaks. Any civilisation with a seagoing tradition can do it.

The problem, of course, is motivation. Even with 1400s technology, it wasn't an easy thing to do, and without the lure of riches, it'd never have happened. But if you could somehow make, say, a megalith builder civilisation really, really want to do a round trip from Brittany to America and back, they could. Your problem is: why? It's a huge inverstment in resources and a tremendous risk. Most of your early voyages won't come back, you'll not be able to ensure you get to the same place twice, and you bring back - what?
 

Yes I recognise the problem of motivation. But you point out, finding the same place again and returning safely over half of the time is an important factor.

Lots of people probably ended up accidentally in america. Well... instead of lots, some people probably ended up on the other side.

Now a Mali settlement on the coast of Brazil would be really something...
 
I'm just now thinking that a religious motivation might work. An early European civilisation decides it would make a good rite of passage for males (maybe warrior-caste males, shamans or whatever selection applies) to cross over to the western Lands and return. Not many will, but as they improve their navigational skills, stories get passed down, and more make it, more young men might also pick the option for spiritual or prestige reasons. Given a few centuries, you'd have something amounting to a tourist industry that shuttles boats full of young megalith builders to Iceland, Greenland or America and back. There's absolutely no point, but it sounds like the kind of thing terminal testosterone poisoning will induce and elderly men talk about with fond remembrance after having forgotten why it sucked so much.

That would give you European knowledge of America, plus the navigational skills to complete the voyage, say, in 66% of cases, by the iron age.
 
That sounds like a handy way to kill off the prime of your youth.

Though the way I would see a surviving Vinland scenario going isn't with a early European colonisation in the style of the latter one. Rather more that it would remain a wild place where various people would go raiding, establish minor settlements, form petty kingdoms, etc...
 
That sounds like a handy way to kill off the prime of your youth.

It's not a lot more insane than some other things young men did (going on krypteia, taking enemies' heads, bringing home bear claws, hunting lions with stabbing swords). Keep in mind there vis usually a male surplus in premodern societies, in social terms. Of course this society is going to have a problem with not being able to burn theirs in raiding and war. That might become the real problem.
 
Nephi

On God's commandment using the Liahona for direction.

Of course since they left from the Oman/Yemen area, no information is available as to whether they crossed the Atlantic, Pacific or for that matter the Arctic.
 
Yes I recognise the problem of motivation. But you point out, finding the same place again and returning safely over half of the time is an important factor.

Lots of people probably ended up accidentally in america. Well... instead of lots, some people probably ended up on the other side.

Now a Mali settlement on the coast of Brazil would be really something...

I'll direct you to this old thread.
 
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