Theory: Ancient Phoenicians were the first to discover the Americas

Α Decrease font Enlarge font
Theory: Ancient Phoenicians were the first to discover the AmericasThe fortunate Islands were a group of legendary islands mentioned by various ancient Greek writers

Among the many theories about which civilization first sailed to the Americas and discovered them, there is also the theory that the ancient Phoenicians were the first.

This theory became popular in the 18th century and is closely connected with the petroglyphs on Dighton Rock which are still of unknown origin. This theory is not quite as popular as the one that says that the Norse made the discovery first, but still, it is worth mentioning.

Back in the 18th century, a lot of scholars started to offer ideas about the true origin of the inscriptions on the rock. Ezra Stiles, a theologian, author, and also the seventh President of Yale College, claimed that the inscriptions are in Hebrew. Antoine Court de Gébelin, who is mainly known for the popularization of the Tarot, had his own idea about the rock. He believed that the inscription was made by Carthaginian sailors who commemorated their journey to the shores of Massachusetts.

In the 19th century, the theory that a group of Israelite people visited the New World was widely adopted in the Mormon community.

Later, Ross T. Christensen, an American archeologist, speculated that the Mulekites, who are mentioned in the Book of Mormon, were probably of Phoenician ethnic origin.

Stone tablet with inscription

The Phoenician theory is also supported in a book written in 1871, by John Denison Baldwin, an American anthropologist. In Ancient America, Baldwin wrote,

“The known enterprise of the Phoenician race, and this ancient knowledge of America, so variously expressed, strongly encourage the hypothesis that the people called Phoenicians came to this continent, established colonies in the region where ruined cities are found, and filled it with civilized life. It is argued that they made voyages on the ‘great exterior ocean,’ and that such navigators must have crossed the Atlantic; and it is added that symbolic devices similar to those of the Phoenicians are found in the American ruins, and that an old tradition of the native Mexicans and Central Americans described the first civilizers as ‘bearded white men,’ who ‘came from the East in ships’.”

A stone tablet with an inscription that was supposed to be of Phoenician origin appeared in Brazil in the 1870s. The tablet was given to Ladislau de Souza Mello Netto, who was the director of the National Museum of Brazil at that time, and he immediately acknowledged the artifact as genuine. The inscription allegedly told the story of some Sidonian Canaanites who visited the shore of Brazil. It was later discovered that the symbols that appear on the tablet were variations of letters that appeared in different periods over a span of 800 years. It was impossible for all the letters to appear on the same tablet at the same time, so the artifact and the inscription were dismissed as fake.

In the 20th century, a few new artifacts appeared that again spiked the theory of Phoenician or Semitic discovery. One of these artifacts was the Bat Creek inscription. Cyrus Herzl Gordon, Near Eastern cultures and ancient languages expert, believed that the inscription of this tablet was in Paleo-Hebrew. Gordon thought that this was proof that Semitic people visited the continent prior to Columbus. Later, the Bat Creek inscription, together with another artifact called the Las Lunas Decalogue Stone, were proven to be forgeries and Gordon’s claim was dismissed.

Phoenician sailors visited the Americas 

In 1996, Mark McMenamin, an American paleontologist, speculated that Phoenician sailors visited the Americas around 350 BC. He based his theory on some gold stater coins that were allegedly made by the state of Carthage. On the back of the coins was a map of the Mediterranean and another land on the west, across the Atlantic. McMenamin interpreted that land as the Americas but later discovered that those coins were actually a modern forgery.

Another form of written evidence that slightly goes in favor of the arrival of Phoenicians in the Americas can be found in Ptolemy’s Geography. Lucio Russo, an Italian physicist, mathematician, and historian of science, analyzed Ptolemy’s book and noticed that he gives the coordinates of the Fortunate Isles.

The fortunate Islands were a group of legendary islands mentioned by various ancient Greek writers. Russo also noticed that the size of the world in Ptolemy’s Geography is smaller than what Eratosthenes measured. After he gave the same coordinates of the Fortunate Islands to the Antilles, the map irregularities in Ptolemy’s descriptions disappeared. According to Russo, Ptolemy could have known about the Antilles from his source, Hipparcos, who lived in Rhodes. It is possible that Hipparcos heard about the Antilles from Phoenicians sailors who controlled the western Mediterranean in those days. This is a far-fetched idea, but still, an interesting one.

Modern-day scholars

Most of the modern-day scholars deny the idea that Phoenicians, Canaanites, or Carthaginians discovered the Americas first.

Ronald H. Fritze, an American historian, says that although it was technically possible for those people to reach the Americas, it probably never happened:

“No archaeological evidence has yet been discovered to prove the contentions of Irwin, Gordon, Bailey, Fell and others. Since even the fleeting Norse presence in Vinland left definite archaeological remains at L’Anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland, it seems logical that the allegedly more extensive Phoenician and Carthaginian presence would have left similar evidence. The absence of such remains is strong circumstantial evidence that the Phoenicians and Carthaginians never reached the Americas.”

Until some concrete evidence appears, this theory will remain only a fantasy.

Source:thevintagenews.com

Read more here.

RELATED TOPICS: GreeceGreek tourism newsTourism in GreeceGreek islandsHotels in GreeceTravel to GreeceGreek destinations Greek travel marketGreek tourism statisticsGreek tourism report

 

Tornos
  1. 14/11 01:11

    Blood drive at 'Syntagma' Square Athens Metro station for road traffic victims on Saturday

  2. 13/11 23:58

    Greece's Sky Express expands Athens-Istanbul connection with direct flights

  3. 13/11 21:05

    AEGEAN Air expands Thessaloniki’s reach with New Amsterdam route

  4. 13/11 15:54

    Ships docked in Greece on November 20 due to strike

  5. 13/11 01:17

    Media report: Greece will end property purchase option for Golden Visas

  6. 12/11 00:35

    Three-day events commemorating Athens Polytechnic uprising commence on Friday

  7. 11/11 22:45

    Prime Minister: Greek-US relations are strategic and based on mutual interest

  8. 11/11 13:29

    Greece prepares for heavy rains and storms this week

  9. 11/11 11:15

    Tourism | City breaks, artificial intelligence and solo travel the dominant trends in 2025

  10. 08/11 00:42

    Greece's Metlen firm investing in five Alberta-based solar energy projects

  11. 07/11 23:20

    Greece's company Metlen investing in five Alberta-based solar energy projects

  12. 07/11 23:08

    Enterprise Greece, SEV and other firm associations organising business mission to Milan

  13. 07/11 22:04

    Greek Alternate Finance Minister attends Toronto Economic Forum

  14. 07/11 20:11

    Greek Tourism Minister inaugurates OPAP MARATHON Expo

  15. 07/11 18:55

    Minimum wage bill in Greece is posted online for public consultation until November 21

  16. 07/11 00:43

    Road tax bills for 2025 posted in Greece with deadline on December 31

  17. 06/11 15:16

    Prime Minister: I am certain that Greek-American relations will stay strong

  18. 06/11 11:13

    Finance Minister addresses Athens Investment Forum

  19. 05/11 00:47

    Minister: Everyone must continue the effort to reduce retail prices in Greece

  20. 04/11 23:37

    Salamis Shipyards delivers the first two Island-type patrol vessels in Greece

  21. 04/11 23:28

    More than 3,000 applicants for Greek citizenship sit for language certification examinations

  22. 04/11 23:14

    Greek Youth Symphony Orchestra makes its debut at Carnegie Hall

  23. 04/11 23:09

    3rd International Conference on Ancient Greek and Byzantine Tech in Athens on November 19-21

  24. 04/11 23:08

    Greek government utilizes two tools to promote investments

  25. 04/11 22:03

    Ticket prices announced for buses and new metro in Thessaloniki city

  26. 30/10 22:45

    Greek Climate Crisis Minister offers aid to Spanish people after deadly flooding

  27. 30/10 22:35

    Joint firm for Thriasio II freight complex greenlighted by Competition Commission

  28. 30/10 22:31

    Athens International Airport records 9.8% revenue hike during Q1-Q3 2024

  29. 30/10 22:31

    Sub-concession deal inked for Mega Yachts Marina in Greek island of Corfu

  30. 30/10 21:39

    Greek government investing in supply chains to transform national economy

  31. 30/10 00:31

    Passenger ferry 'Aghia Theodora' safely in Igoumenitsa Port after running aground

  32. 30/10 00:31

    Government spokesperson: Greece's 'brain gain' wager appears to have been won

  33. 30/10 00:28

    Greek supermarket prices for 362 product codes to fall from 5% to 24%

  34. 29/10 23:41

    Wyndham inks cooperation deal for  first hotel in Piraeus

  35. 29/10 17:18

    Greek and German Presidents visit site of future Holocaust Museum in Thessaloniki

  36. 25/10 15:07

    More than 4.000 participations from 28 countries in 63 activities at Navarino Challenge 2024

  37. 23/10 22:29

    Greece's PPC successfully issues new 7-year bond raising 600 million euros

  38. 23/10 22:14

    Ferries grounded for another 48 hours in Greece

  39. 23/10 20:17

    SKY Express launches direct flights from Athens to Tirana

  40. 23/10 19:26

    European Commission greenlights €40 million for flood prevention works in Athens

  41. 23/10 11:22

    Grecce's SNF supports relief efforts after Hurricanes in the Southeastern U.S.

  42. 22/10 21:48

    IMF expects Greek economy to grow by 2.3% in 2024 and 2% during 2025

  43. 22/10 21:46

    Minister: Ticket prices for new Thessaloniki metro to be announced shortly

  44. 22/10 21:37

    Greek Shipping Minister: A new 'maritime' Egnatia will open up new prospects

  45. 22/10 21:31

    Transport Minister visits FlyOver project site in Greek city of Thessaloniki

  46. 22/10 21:25

    Increased tourist traffic in Greece during the period January-August 2024

  47. 21/10 21:23

    Prime Minister: Greece's economy on irreversible path to recovery

  48. 21/10 19:19

    Greek FinMin: Plan to utilize Hellenic Public Properties at implementation phase

  49. 21/10 18:00

    New General Manager at City Contact from January 1, 2025

  50. 21/10 09:16

    European Union Commissioner inaugurates creation of 'Trusted Investors Network'

  51. 18/10 23:09

    Exhibition of ancient cultures from Basilicata opens at Athens Acropolis Museum

  52. 17/10 19:13

    Enterprise Greece: 121 firms showcase environmentally friendly fashion at global shows

  53. 17/10 18:18

    Ticket price of 2 euros for cinema festival throughout Greece on October 31

  54. 17/10 14:34

    Prime Minister: Greece has been very effective in dealing with illegal migration

  55. 17/10 13:22

    Traditional Greek Costumes show:“From Avgi to the present: the clothes narrate”

  56. 17/10 12:21

    Santorini Experience Returned Better Than Ever

  57. 16/10 22:23

    Greek Development Minister meets Indiana Governor and US Ambassador

  58. 16/10 22:15

    Greek PM sees overtourism problem only in Mykonos and Santorini

  59. 16/10 22:10

    North Crete highway island project gains momentum

  60. 16/10 21:59

    Greek Cartoon Museum at 'Kapnergostasio' historic building set up in Athens

  61. 16/10 19:12

    Aegean Airlines expands direct flights between Thessaloniki and Kalamata in Greece

  62. 15/10 21:19

    Greek PM: Our goal is to increase revenues and not just tourist numbers

  63. 15/10 19:46

    Greek Energy Minister holds talks in Egypt on electricity connection

  64. 15/10 19:26

    Brussels Airlines to conduct year-round flights to Greece

  65. 15/10 18:34

    New Attica Transportation Strategic Plan will reshape the Region

  66. 15/10 16:44

    UK Ambassador to Athens: Greece's role is of strategic significance

  67. 15/10 15:49

    Greece's finance ministry reveals four main changes introduced by new tax bill

  68. 14/10 23:04

    Minister: Luxury tourism can upgrade quality of Greek tourist product

  69. 14/10 13:01

    Greek Infrastructure and Transport Minister: 35 new buses in Attica

  70. 14/10 12:54

    WTTC | Business travel to surpass pre-pandemic levels at US$1.5 trillion in 2024

  71. 14/10 11:48

    Commercial real estate continues upward course in Greece

  72. 11/10 22:39

    Acropolis Museum to mark European Days of Conservation-Restoration of Cultural Heritage

  73. 09/10 23:26

    Minister: More than 2,000 Greeks abroad registered on Rebrain Greece Platform

  74. 09/10 23:23

    Italgas to invest 1 bln euros in Greece by 2030 based on new strategic plan

  75. 09/10 23:22

    FinMin: The upgrade of the Athens Stock Exchange is excellent news for Greece

  76. 09/10 20:14

    Fraport Greece announces schedule of shutdowns to upgrade regional airport runways

  77. 09/10 17:30

    Greek government spokesperson highlights positive economic outlook for 2025

  78. 09/10 01:43

    October electricity bill subsidies to support vulnerable consumers in Greece

  79. 09/10 01:41

    Enterprise Greece: Four Greek wineries at ProWine Latin America 2024

  80. 09/10 01:31

    Three-week deadline for Greek taxi drivers to install payment card signage

  81. 08/10 18:22

    AEGEAN air passenger traffic surpasses 12.5 million in first nine months of 2024

  82. 08/10 16:31

    Report: Networking and career opportunities for foreign students in Cyprus and Greece

  83. 07/10 21:54

    Media: U.S. Ambassador to Athens is a Champion of Study Abroad Endeavors

  84. 07/10 21:44

    Universities of Tennessee and Athens to promote academic collaboration

  85. 07/10 20:36

    Greece's Gov.gr Wallet wins top award from WITSA

  86. 07/10 15:49

    Government: Bad loans in Greece fell to 7.5% in March 2024 from 40% in 2019

  87. 06/10 00:40

    SEVITEL sees Greek olive oil prices dropping

  88. 03/10 22:15

    Commercial activity at Keramoti port in Greece suspended to alleviate congestion

  89. 03/10 22:08

    Finance Minister: Record privatizations benefiting Greek citizens in long run

  90. 03/10 22:05

    Stavros Niarchos Foundation recognized at 2024 International Opera Awards

  91. 03/10 22:04

    Commercial operation of the Alexandroupolis LNG Terminal beginning today

  92. 03/10 16:48

    Virtuoso and Globetrender report: The top-7 luxury travel trends to watch in 2025

  93. 02/10 23:11

    Green residential electricity tariffs down 6%-17% in Greece during October

  94. 02/10 23:04

    United Hellenic Voters of America presents 50th UHVA Awards Gala in Illinois

  95. 02/10 21:46

    Athens International Film Festival marks 30th anniversary

  96. 02/10 18:59

    Greek FM: Excellent collaboration with Egypt for investments beyond energy

  97. 02/10 10:15

    ELSTAT report: Unemployment rate falls to 9.5% in Greece during August

  98. 01/10 21:32

    Collaboration between University of Athens and Google in Αrtificial Intelligence

  99. 01/10 21:31

    Prime Minister: Greece will finally have a land registry in 2025

  100. 01/10 19:14

    Work to prepare unique Doxipara-Zoni burials museum for visitors progressing fast