A Journey to the Far North in the Middle Ages
The name Ohthere does not usually rank among the famous explorers of the Middle Ages, such as Leif Erikson or Marco Polo. However, his exploits are very impressive, for he would sail into the Arctic Circle over eleven hundred years ago.
New Medieval Books: American Vikings
The first part of this details the Norse arrival in North America, incorporating the latest research on the topic. The second part examines how Americans have been fascinated by the Viking mythos and its effects on culture and politics in the United States.
A Pilgrim from Xanadu: How A Christian Monk Discovered Medieval Europe
The first-hand records of Bar Sauma’s amazing mission allow us to trace his odyssey from Beijing to Baghdad, and on to Rome and Bordeaux.
Italians knew about North America in the 14th century, historian finds
Around the mid-fourteenth century there were reports of a place called ‘Marckalada’ circulating in Italy. New research suggests this was a reference to northeastern section of North America.
Why was Leifr Eiríksson called ‘Lucky’?
Although it might be said that the discovery of a whole continent was a sufficient justification for such an appellation, the sources do not indicate that Leifr earned his cognomen through discoveries or exploration.
500 Years after the First Voyage around the World: Secrets of the Atlas Miller
This is the secret of the Atlas Miller: it tries to counter the idea that the world could be circumnavigated.
A Journey to the Far North in the Ninth Century
The name Ohthere does not usually rank among the great explorers of the Middle Ages, such as Leif Eriksson, Marco Polo and Christopher Columbus. However, his exploits are very impressive, for he would sail into Arctic Circle over eleven hundred years ago.
Medieval Lisbon: Jerónimos Monastery
Of the four medieval #placestosee in Lisbon, Jerónimos Monastery, Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, was my favourite. The monastery is located in Belém, a suburb of Lisbon, that is famous for the 16th century monastery, as well as for its world famous pastry shop, Pastéis de Belém…
Which Explorer Are You At Heart?
Marco Polo, Christopher Columbus, Sir Walter Raleigh – would you be an explorer like them?
Which Famous Explorer Are You Most Like?
Leif Erikson, Marco Polo, or perhaps someone from more recent times? Find out what drives you to discover the next great frontier…
Did Marco Polo go to Alaska?
A set of documents, brought to United States by an Italian immigrant, may reveal new details about Marco Polo’s travels in Asia, including that he possibly explored and mapped Alaska.
Christopher Columbus’ flagship may have been found
An underwater archaeological search may have discovered the Santa Maria, the flagship of Christopher Columbus when he sailed across the Atlantic reaching the New World in 1492.
Did the Vikings reach Madeira?
New research about mice on Madeira suggests that the Vikings may have visited the Atlantic island 400 years before it was colonized.
Vínland and Wishful Thinking: Medieval and Modern Fantasies
Reevaluating the wishful reality of the Vinland islands requires that the stories of the Vinland journeys be squarely situated in the context of the world geographic system adopted by those who told those stories.
The Vínland sagas as propaganda for the Christian Church
Over the last two centuries, the Vínland Sagas have become some of the most discussed of Medieval Nordic documents. There are arguments about every aspect of the sagas: What the name Vínland means, if Vínland existed, where it would have been geographically, and how much of their content is historically accurate.
The Cone of Africa . . . Took Shape in Lisbon
The year that Christopher Columbus crossed the Atlantic and Isabel and Ferdinand expelled the Jews from Spain, an unheralded event took place. A cartographer in Lisbon, Portugal, drew an amazing map detailing the coasts of Europe, the Mediterranean, the Black Sea, and western Africa.
An island archaeological approach to the Viking colonization of the North Atlantic
The present paper is a brief exploration of the application of methods commonly used in the archaeological study of the Pacific and Mediterranean islands to the expansion of the Vikings across the North Atlantic during the ninth to eleventh centuries AD.
How Not to (Re)Write World History: Gavin Menzies and the Chinese Discovery of America
The author’s attempt to rewrite world history, however, is based on a hodgepodge of circular reasoning, bizarre speculation, distorted sources, and slapdash research.
Atlantic Navigators: The Brendan Voyage
Tim Severin and his companions set out to test whether the legendary voyage of the 6th century Irish monk, St Brendan, was based on the real life adventures of early medieval seafarers.
From Cabot to Cartier: The Early Exploration of Eastern North America, 1497–1543
The first European explorers to make contact with North America did so far to the north of the area contacted by Columbus, and their voyages would almost certainly have taken place regardless of the success or failure of Columbus
Research uncovers new details about John Cabot’s voyage to North America
Evidence that a Florentine merchant house financed the earliest English voyages to North America, has been published on-line in the academic journal Historical Research.
The Fact and Fiction of Vikings in America
Adventure stories abound about the marauders of the north seas, the Vikings. Visions of sword-wielding giants of men and great swooping ships come easily to mind, but this is not the whole picture.
Columbus and the Labyrinth of History
History has not been the same since Christopher Columbus. Neither has he been the same throughout history.
Elite Revisionists and Popular Beliefs: Christopher Columbus, Hero or Villain?
Elite Revisionists and Popular Beliefs: Christopher Columbus, Hero or Villain? By Howard Schuman, Barry Schwartz and Hannag D’Arc Public Opinion Quarterly, Vol. 69,…
Scholar finds evidence of links between Vikings and North American natives
Old Norse sagas such as Saga of Erik the Red and the Saga of the Greenlanders have been long been considered among the…