[MR] BBC & Wikipedia: Colonization of North America

[Garth Groff and Sally Sanford]

Noble Friends,

Today I will call to your attention two unrelated pieces which reflect on
early colonization of North America during our SCA period. Both stories
shed interesting light on history.

The first concerns a BBC piece about the Viking settlement at L'Anse aux
Meadows in Newfoundland. New wood dating techniques have shown that this
settlement probably dates to around 1021 CE. The date was determined by
atmospheric carbon dating on a sample of cut timber, based on the effects
of a known solar storm that took place in 922 CE, then counting the tree
rings forward to when the wood was cut. Voila! The researchers got 1021 CE,
though that only applies to that particular wood sample. The settlement was
probably a few years older. So take that Columbus! The Vikings
discovered America at least 471 years before you showed up:
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-58996186 .

The other piece was on Wikipedia a few days ago. In 1520-21, a Portuguese
mariner named João Álvares Fagundes led a series of voyages to
North America which explored Newfoundland and Nova Scotia. He was granted
rights to settle and develop the region's resources by the King of
Portugal. Fagundes planted a colony in what is now Nova Scotia to exploit
the nearby cod fisheries. The colony may have survived as late as 1570, but
it pretty much drops from European historical records after Fagundes' death
in 1522: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/João_Álvares_Fagundes .

Here's a thought to keep in mind when "The Curse of Oak Island" returns on
2 November for a new season. [Yes, I will be watching, and probably
groaning a lot.] Some medieval-era artifacts the team has discovered, such
as the so-called "Templar lead cross", may relate to Portuguese exploration
and settlement in this region. This is not as spectacular as the program's
obsession with the Templars, but far more plausible. I'm surprised
the Laginas, and their so-called experts, choose to ignore the Portuguese
connection. It is widely known and commemorated in local history. Well, the
name of their production company, Prometheus *Entertainment*, says it all.

Yours Aye,


Lord Mungo Napier, Laird of Mallard Lodge  🦆