Kindest Regards, path of one!
Thank you for your post, and my apologies for the delay in responding.
Some researchers have long tried to argue for a Pacific sea crossing as well- Melanasian peoples had simple boats and were fabulous navigators. Some have tried to make the argument that a few folks reached South America as a separate migration event. So far, though it falls into the realm of the "cool idea, no evidence and highly unlikely" file.
Ah yes, the efforts of Thor Heyerdahl. I learned of his exploits with Ra I and II and the Kon Tiki when I was a child, and refreshed my memory about a year ago for a class project. And I agree, because he showed it
could be done, does not mean that it in fact was. I also learned of the efforts of the Polynesian Voyaging Society and the recreation of Lief Erikson's expedition. What I take away from these efforts is that pre-historic and ancient historic peoples had the capablity of sea-faring. Just how far they dared fare into the open ocean is a question of debate among researchers, but it remains a distinct possibility that travel across the ocean to another continent is not out of the reach of primitive peoples.
My studies at that time also brought out a possible connection between Africa and Central America, and there is a line of thought that suggests Chinese exploration of the East coast of North America, as well an ancient Hebrew connection to North America with the Los Lunas (New Mexico) decalogue stone and a keystone discovered in one of the serpent mounds of Ohio with the decalogue inscribed on it.
I recently read reference to the problem of resolving the issue of aboriginal populating of Australia. Without prehistoric sea-faring by humans, the situation gets sticky to say the least. This is a matter I will have to look into when I complete what I have now.
Presumably, even without the boats, there would be some archeaological evidence on the Atlantic coast that it was inhabited early on- the kind of stuff we find all along the Pacific coast in caves and whatnot.
I printed out close to 200 pages of material covering Clovis-Solutrea, Kennewick man, Homo-Floresiensis, and the Neandertal hybrid child, and have only begun reading through the material. With my time limitations, I suspect it will take me a while to go through it all. The first material I have started on deals with Clovis, and from what I am reading, at least
some researchers have recognized Clovis points across America from Virginia to New Mexico.
www.centerfirstamericans.com/mt.html?a=46
and
www.wfu.edu/~cyclone/THE SOLUTREAN CONNECTION QUESTION.htm
(listing 4 pages of references in small print)
I haven't completed reading the second reference, but some of the things brought forward so far are interesting to say the least.
Interestingly, there are lots of similarities in belief structure between the ancient European shamanic religions (from which arose the famous but mysterious druids) and Native American shamanic religions, but these traits are common to lots of other shamanic traditions as well and are more a function of common social structure and economy than direct linkages.
I am not well versed in shamanic traditions, although I am inclined for the moment to agree with you because of Frazer's seminal work "The Golden Bough." I think though, that Frazer was (intentionally or not) drawing similarities and ties between the multi-god pagan pantheon, much as Alexander Hyslop did almost 30 years earlier, even though the two authors had different agendas.
I would love to hear what you may have to say to further your comment regarding shamanism.
I should ask our resident lithics expert if he caught the program and what he thinks.
That would be really cool if he would be so kind.
I noticed in the second reference the connection with atlatls, a kind of throwing stick for spears that increases the throwing ability of the hunter, to the Clovis and Solutrean points. I don't know yet if this was a supposition on the part of the researcher(s), I had thought atlatls to be a unique invention to Central America. There is also a linguistic connection to the name, "atlatl," with "Atlantic" that I remember reading somewhere, associating both with "Atlantis." Whether or not it holds up academically, it is interesting just the same.
Another thought that occured to me hinges on Stonehenge. Presumably, the time in question concerning Solutrea and Clovis and their possible connection, precludes their direct involvement in megaltihic construction. It is thought, at least in the stuff I have covered so far, that England and Europe (to a point 40 miles South of Paris) were enveloped in the glacier of the last Ice Age. Yet as soon as the ice had retreated, megalithic construction began, or so it seems if some of the currently accepted dates for Stonehenge are correct. The Great Pyramid at Giza followed (historically speaking) shortly after. So there would seem to be a quantum leap in human ability immediately following the retreat of the glacier that coincides with the advent of agriculture. Intriguing... this is one of those points in time where so much happens in such a short span, it is difficult to reconcile with logic and evidence alone.
He (Kennewick man) looks strikingly like Piccard.
I found a few pictures, and you are quite right! I wonder if the actor is aware of the semblence, and his thoughts about it. Kind of a dubious honor, I would think...
Neanderthals, for example, have been shown by some artists to be these hairy, hulking, barely human looking folks while others have shown that if you dressed them up in a suit and tie and put them on the subway, no one would notice.
Add in the hybrid child, and it does make one wonder...perhaps we modern humans, or at least some of us, are related to both Neandertal and Cro-Magnon? Especially since the hybrid child dates from several thousand years
after the supposed extinction of Neandertal?
The more I look into these things, the more questions I have. It is all very fascinating to me.
Thanks for the conversation!
