I'm putting together an American history class that starts in the so-called Pre-Columbian era. Am learning a lot because of new research developments, which is what makes this fun.
Heard of SN 1054, the Crab Supernova of 1054 A.D./C.E.? It was seen across much of the globe at that time, which also is around the same date as the rise of "New" Cahokia near what is now St. Louis.
As I assemble material, still trying to figure out how Cahokia and the Mississippian culture relate to Mesoamerica, given some commonalities. And why did Cahokia disperse or fall into entropy after about two centuries?
Meanwhile, Vikings (including my namesake, Erik the Red) were cruising around what is now Greenland and Canada. To what extent did the Norsemen hook up with Inuit people? And was there a significant disease, trade or genetic exhange? While musing on this, it was heartening to find:
Vikings in the North Atlantic - £1.25 M award
Northern Studies Centre member Professor Kevin Edwards (Dept. of Geography & Environment) has been awarded nearly £1.25 million by the Leverhulme Trust for an innovative, interdisciplinary research programme on the human and ecological consequences of Viking settlement in the North Atlantic region . . .
Which reminds me to try one of those DNA tests . . .
Today's Rune: Growth.
5 comments:
The DNA tests would be fun all around.
I thought about getting my son one for his birthday-- to see if he's related to Ghengis Khan (his mother, my ex-girlfriend, is Chinese-American). I'm also curious-- my father and I have been delving into family mysteries-- we think we may have European Jewish roots, Bohemian and Scotch-Irish. And of course we think we're related to Sam Bass, one of the rock stars of outlaws, who died, like a rock star, at the age of 27.
Oddly enough your first map almost tracks perfectly with the Spanish conquests of the native peoples a mere hundred or so years after the Cahokia are thought to have vanished.
Here is a map to overlay.
This is all endlessly fascinating. And because of scientific research (archaeology and all sorts of new approaches), re-evaluations are ongoing. Take this, for example: "Finding a Lost Spanish Fort (North Carolina’s
Real First Colony)
By Dr. Dr. David G. Moore" -- a 1567 fort in the interior of what is now NC! That's before Roanoke and way before Jamestown.
Anyway, Mark -- this has to make us wonder why they (the Spaniards) chose those routes and if the overlay is directly correlatable.
And Johnny, I agree -- that would be really interesting to track genetically. Most of us are probably quite a cocktail of intertwining pasts.
Erik, firstly i love that you spell your name with a K. Let me know what you discover! I am into that new show "Who do you think you are" and now am interested in my geneology and DNA readings!
Kudos on your research. I have a serious appreciation for people who try to learn because they want to, without prodding from teachers, bosses, or other, external influences!
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