A
Anonymous
Guest
To all:
This is a point I have considered for a while. I wrote letters on it to a number of places, including the National Geographic, for consideration. So far, however, I have not received much response. I am providing it for consideration, here, to see if someone might have some information to add.
The story of Quetzalcoatl, in Mesoamerica - that of a white man with a beard, associated with the east, once visiting Mexico and promising to come back - is considered a singular case of coincidence. It is represented as a particular benefit for the conquistadors - bearded white men, who came from the east - in their incursion into the Americas. There are certain points, however, which might make the case less of an overt coincidence.
Along with a bearded white man from the east, Quetzalcoatl is represented as a feathered serpent, or a winged serpent.
The idea of Norsemen visiting North America in the past is, by now, taken for granted. They, too, were bearded white men, who came from the east.
They visited North America in their longboats; long, dragon-prowed, sailing vessels.
It is a commonplace, among cultures that have never seen sailing ships before, to depict the sails, in their stories, as "wings". Early American Indian groups, seeing longboats for the first time would, likely, have made the same connection to their sails. More than that, though, longboats were thin, long and flat, and had reptilian prows. To someone unfamiliar with them or stories of dragons, the boats could look like serpents. Because of the sails, they may have been thought of as winged serpents! In many cases, too, Viking longboats would have exaggerated scale designs, giving an appearance of feathers along the sides!
To someone not used to them, longboats could have the appearance of feathered serpents or winged serpents!
This is not to say that early Norse explorers penetrated as far as Mexico. But they needn't have had to.
It is established that Viking contact probably went as far as, at least, the northern area of the Eastern Seaboard. If they penetrated as far, say, as the Virginia area, though, they could have had contact with what are described as "Mound Builder" cultures, or their ancestors.
It is generally accepted that the "Mound Builder" cultures had a flourishing trade with the Maya. Many arrowheads, for example, have been found along the middle Eastern Seaboard, made of stone from Mexico. If "Mound Builder" groups had contact with the Norse, they could have disseminated a story of bearded men from the east, coming aboard winged serpents, and promising to return, to the Maya!
It could be interesting to look further into the relationship of the proposed arrivals of the Vikings, the presence of the "Mound Builders", and the beginning of the story of Quetzalcoatl. Even if current proposed times do not coincide, if there is substance to the suggestion, it could indicate a pattern and age of contact between American Indians and Vikings not considered before!
Julian Penrod
This is a point I have considered for a while. I wrote letters on it to a number of places, including the National Geographic, for consideration. So far, however, I have not received much response. I am providing it for consideration, here, to see if someone might have some information to add.
The story of Quetzalcoatl, in Mesoamerica - that of a white man with a beard, associated with the east, once visiting Mexico and promising to come back - is considered a singular case of coincidence. It is represented as a particular benefit for the conquistadors - bearded white men, who came from the east - in their incursion into the Americas. There are certain points, however, which might make the case less of an overt coincidence.
Along with a bearded white man from the east, Quetzalcoatl is represented as a feathered serpent, or a winged serpent.
The idea of Norsemen visiting North America in the past is, by now, taken for granted. They, too, were bearded white men, who came from the east.
They visited North America in their longboats; long, dragon-prowed, sailing vessels.
It is a commonplace, among cultures that have never seen sailing ships before, to depict the sails, in their stories, as "wings". Early American Indian groups, seeing longboats for the first time would, likely, have made the same connection to their sails. More than that, though, longboats were thin, long and flat, and had reptilian prows. To someone unfamiliar with them or stories of dragons, the boats could look like serpents. Because of the sails, they may have been thought of as winged serpents! In many cases, too, Viking longboats would have exaggerated scale designs, giving an appearance of feathers along the sides!
To someone not used to them, longboats could have the appearance of feathered serpents or winged serpents!
This is not to say that early Norse explorers penetrated as far as Mexico. But they needn't have had to.
It is established that Viking contact probably went as far as, at least, the northern area of the Eastern Seaboard. If they penetrated as far, say, as the Virginia area, though, they could have had contact with what are described as "Mound Builder" cultures, or their ancestors.
It is generally accepted that the "Mound Builder" cultures had a flourishing trade with the Maya. Many arrowheads, for example, have been found along the middle Eastern Seaboard, made of stone from Mexico. If "Mound Builder" groups had contact with the Norse, they could have disseminated a story of bearded men from the east, coming aboard winged serpents, and promising to return, to the Maya!
It could be interesting to look further into the relationship of the proposed arrivals of the Vikings, the presence of the "Mound Builders", and the beginning of the story of Quetzalcoatl. Even if current proposed times do not coincide, if there is substance to the suggestion, it could indicate a pattern and age of contact between American Indians and Vikings not considered before!
Julian Penrod