New Research Reconfirms the Vinland Map is a Forgery

9/3/2021

More than three years after Yale University announced that it would put the infamous Vinland Map through a through a series of high-tech tests to determine once and for all whether the allegedly medieval depiction of Greenland and the Canadian coast was in fact a fake, the results are in. It is, in fact, a fake, as has long been suspected. New analysis of the ink used to draw the map found that, as earlier researchers has concluded, the ink is modern. It dates no earlier than the 1920s. While the identity of the forger is not known, and the exact time of forgery hasn't been determined, the new evidence should (but probably cannot) put to rest claims that the map is the oldest cartographic depiction of part of North America in European history.

Since the 1960s, when Yale acquired the map and published a scholarly monograph about it, the Vinland Map has been a regular feature in books about ancient "mysteries" and, in the last thirty years, it has been a staple of cable TV conspiracy shows. A conference in 1966 and repeated research since then produced strong arguments and evidence that the map was a fake. The new research offers still more scientific evidence that the map is a modern hoax.

Yale's news release about the news research laid out the key findings:

The analysis revealed that a titanium compound used in inks first produced in the 1920s pervades the map’s lines and text.

“The Vinland Map is a fake,” said Raymond Clemens, curator of early books and manuscripts at Yale’s Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library, which houses the map. “There is no reasonable doubt here. This new analysis should put the matter to rest.”

The new study also uncovered evidence that the map deception was intentional. A Latin inscription on its back, possibly a bookbinder’s note guiding the assembly of the Speculum Historiale — an authentic medieval volume and the likely source of the map’s calfskin parchment — is overwritten with modern ink to appear like instructions for binding the map within the genuine 15th-century manuscript.

42 Comments

Phippsburg Phil

9/3/2021 11:16:57 pm

Now you've done it. Activated the Batshit Crazy Signal. Only a matter of hours until someone points out that the researchers failed to photograph the map with a cell phone.

Popsicle Pete

9/4/2021 10:00:43 pm

Here ya go:

https://www.academia.edu/45162789/c_1440_Vinland_Map_Cartographic_Evidence_of_the_Pre_Columbian_Newport_Tower

Yes they have infiltrated academia.edu.

Patrick Shekleton

9/12/2021 07:31:35 pm

Punxsutawney Phil is still thriving at his home in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, making predictions once a year. And, yes, the guy who used to live in Phippsburg, Maine is still finding historical evidence of the Pre-Colonial Newport Tower. The latest is on the 1504 Ostrich Egg Globe attributed by scholars to Leonardo da Vinci (plus an illustration on the c.1504-1506) Hunt-Lenox Globe):
(Facebook) https://www.facebook.com/114338978642314/photos/a.114955778580634/4292233067519530/
(Academia) https://www.academia.edu/51845690/1504_Leonardo_da_Vinci_Ostrich_Egg_Globe_and_c_1504_1506_1510_Hunt_Lenox_Globe_Cartographic_Evidence_of_the_Pre_Columbian_Newport_Tower

Anglo Saxon Mappa Mundi Cotton World Map

9/13/2021 11:48:33 pm

Oh, thanks for the link to the Powerpoint. Shekleton.

That was an interesting display of having a belief and trying to find data to support it. Sorry your premise is not believable at all. I've been to the tower and it isn't inland - do you think it is? Have you ever been there? I have. It's on an island and once upon a time was quite close to the sea. Its what about 1/2 a klick from the modern shore line of Aquidneck?

The blob is inland on an island about the size of Hispanola or perhaps Cuba... Really?

Let me guess you've had little success in selling this idea to anyone?

Brian

9/4/2021 09:18:47 am

Even if the profit-driven loons don't just ignore this and quietly stop mentioning it, in a few years someone who's never heard this will come across mention of the map online or in an old book and start the whole cycle again. In 2080 - presuming anything like the internet or human civilization still exists - a future Jason (or you yourself if there's still medical care!) will be still be debunking this nonsense.

Anthony G.

9/4/2021 10:48:16 am

The authenticity of the Vinland Map is irrelevant by over 400 years. It's NOT the first Map to depict North America. That title currently goes to the 1025-1050 Anglo Saxon Mappa Mundi Cotton World Map held by the British Library. There are a whole host of other medieval maps depicting North America. Someone in Iceland drew out North America, the Gulf of Mexico and South America in the 1200's. In 1489 Henricus Martellus Germanus combined the landforms of North and South America with Asia!

Kent

9/4/2021 08:41:08 pm

Of course there's a much more well-founded fact-based school of thought that says none of that is true.

"In 1489 Henricus Martellus Germanus combined the landforms of North and South America with Asia!" That's a delusion not a map.

Paraiddlying yourself is something that should be kept private.

Patrick Shekleton

9/12/2021 07:41:12 pm

The Dragon's Tail extension on the southernmost part Asia has been argued by scholars to represent the southern part of the South American continent, so Anthony's general statement is mostly correct. Read some more, Kent, you will benefit from it.

Anthony G.

9/13/2021 08:20:23 pm

I was talking about "The Icelandic corpus c. 1225-1250 Viðey maps illustrated sections of both North and South America. It also illustrated the Newport Tower at its correct latitude, using both actual and offset-longitude placements." This predates Henricus Martellus Germanus's continental combination by almost 300 years.

Kent

9/13/2021 10:17:44 pm

In your paraiddlying universe "argued by scholars" means "said by me and/or Anthony". Posting on "academia".edu does not make it scholarship. I'd like to say "Patrick you're better than this" but I try to keep it 100.

And it should be noted that squiggles and giggles ON THE BACK OF A MAP do not constitute part of the map.

Kent

9/14/2021 02:01:32 am

Oh Anthony, you delusional denizen of the day ward.

I'm going to go out on a limb and based on past experience say that none of what you say is true.

Doesn't it strike you as amazing that only you and Patrick have this knowledge about maps that are publicly available? "Knowledge" that is refuted by simply looking at the maps.

There is an undeniable archaeological record at l'Anse aus Meadows. Yet strangely it appears not to have generated any maps.

Most of the stuff you say is obviously not true. You got a folie a deux thing going on with Sir Patrick. Even Wolter doesn't buy your nonsense so you glommed on where you could glom.

Anglo Saxon Mappa Mundi Cotton World Map

9/5/2021 11:29:28 am

Anglo Saxon Mappa Mundi Cotton World Map

https://www.bl.uk/collection-items/anglo-saxon-world-map

Joseph Craven

9/5/2021 03:27:12 pm

Have... umm... have you actually seen images of the Mappa Mundi or Henricus Martellus Germanus' map? Because it feels like you haven't if you think the Americas are somehow in them.

Anthony G.

9/11/2021 03:43:47 am

https://www.academia.edu/50939839/c_1489_Henricus_Martellus_Germanus_IT_FI0100_Plutei_29_25_ff_66v_67r_World_Map_Cartographic_Evidence_of_the_Pre_Columbian_Newport_Tower

https://www.academia.edu/50932171/c_1489_Henricus_Martellus_Germanus_IT_FI0100_Plutei_29_25_ff_60v_61r_Map_Cartographic_Evidence_of_the_Pre_Columbian_Newport_Tower

https://www.academia.edu/50931154/c_1480_1496_Henricus_Martellus_Germanus_MS_Voss_Lat_F_23_p_153_of_161_Map_Cartographic_Evidence_of_the_Pre_Columbian_Newport_Tower

https://www.academia.edu/50918442/c_1480_1485_c_1490_1500_Henricus_Martellus_Germanus_MS_698_0483_ff_70v_71r_Map_Cartographic_Evidence_of_the_Pre_Columbian_Newport_Tower

https://www.academia.edu/50864166/1489_Henricus_Martellus_Germanus_Add_MS_15760_ff_70v_71r_British_Library_Cartographic_Evidence_of_the_Pre_Columbian_Newport_Tower

https://www.academia.edu/50850172/c_1489_Henricus_Martellus_Germanus_Vat_lat_7289_Biblioteca_Apostolica_Vaticana_Cartographic_Evidence_of_the_Pre_Columbian_Newport_Tower

You may wish to reevaluate your statement. He most certainly combined North and South America with Asia.

Jim

9/11/2021 07:18:11 pm

Anthony, www.academia.edu may allow you and Patrick to post your nonsense on their site, but anyone with half a brain can see you two are using your own nonsense as collaborating evidence.

You two uneducated and unqualified jokers should be ashamed of yourselves for using academia.edu to push your garbage on people who assume academia.edu only publishes credible material.

Kent

9/11/2021 09:51:09 pm

He most certainly did not.

"I said the same thing elsewhere on the internet, therefore PROOF!" has got to be the world's weakest argument and simultaneously the most delusional.

Patrick Shekleton

9/12/2021 07:45:50 pm

Anthony works image snippets that I send him on the maps that you mentioned, so the answer to your rhetorical question is 'Yes, Anthony has seen quite a few images of both the Cotton Map and the various Martellus maps. And he has looked at them and analyzed them in a manner that you have not.

Kent

9/26/2021 11:40:06 am

And John Hinckley interacted with President Reagan in a way I have not.

Just so we're clear, I'm saying you and Anthony both have real and noticeable mental problems. Treating people who do as if they don't does them no favors. We've all been treated to Anthony's analysis of a reflection in Jason's eyes which led to a valuation of his house.

"Snippets" my ass. If he needs you to send him "snippets" of publicly available images that makes you the alpha. Always good to know when it turns into a Long Island or Green River situation.

E.P. Grondine

9/7/2021 10:01:35 am

Hi Anthony -

The Five Nations remembered visits by "Stonish Giants" (armored Europens at two periods - but noner of your maps appears to show any knowledge of North America.

Kent link

9/11/2021 02:19:29 am

According to David Cusick, what anthropologists would call "an Indian indigenous informant" the Giant Stoners came from... wait for it America... WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI. So please explain to the class how they were Europeans.

David Bradbury link

9/7/2021 11:29:09 am

The Cottonian world map depicts an island version of Thule, but that would represent Iceland, which had been occupied by Irish monks before the Norse ancestors of the modern population arrived.

Bryan L link

9/8/2021 06:22:05 am

You might want to actually look at the Cotton Mappa Mundi before making claims like that.
The British Library have an image attached to the online catalogue. You can clearly see it doesn't have anything at the bottom closely resembling the Americas. (But it does have two little columns to represent the Pillars of Hercules)

Anthony G.

9/11/2021 03:47:32 am

https://www.academia.edu/44455549/Was_North_America_Illustrated_on_the_c_1025_1050_Cotton_World_Map

You failed to study the back side of the map. Which not only contains the trademarked Christogram "Hooked X" it depicts a Christian Church. Not to mention the island on the front side of the map labeled "Tara".

kent link

9/12/2021 04:42:00 am

Yes, the back of the document is where they always stash the good stuff. See for example the back of this post.

Thank you for the links but I'm already full up on insanity.

Paradiddlying is between you, your mom and Jesus. Please don't bring it here. It's important to treat the insane or mentally deficient as insane or mentally deficient. Going through the charade of treating them as normal does them no favors.

David Bradbury link

9/4/2021 11:10:10 am

Note how the article fails to mention the guy who actually proved beyond doubt, years ago, that the Vinland Map was a fake: Scottish amateur John Paul Floyd

Patrick Shekleton

9/12/2021 07:48:07 pm

David, I agree with you that John Paul Floyd put together a good argument regarding discrepancies on the Vinland Map.

Kent

9/13/2021 10:22:30 pm

That's weak Anthony Warren level delusional tea. Floyd proved beyond a doubt that the Vinland Map is a fake.

Charles Verrastro link

9/5/2021 10:15:37 am

The sad fact is like most forgeries it wasn't just an attempt to make money but to show up how easy it is to trick so-called experts. It is why nearly ten percent of the collections in museums (mostly Art and Archaeology) are fakes. When it comes to old male it is more often the old Rorshack test conundrum. People see what they want and forget mistakes of speculations get copied uncritically as infinitum. One scholar of my acquaintance turns up a new map every week where he spied an illustration of the Newport Tower predating Colonial times. When I pointed out they also showed Wind Gods and Dragons he got rather miffed.

CHARLES L VERRASTRO link

9/5/2021 01:54:59 pm

Of course, people will continue to believe nonsense. Amazes me some still believe we never landed on the moon on the first attempt even when we repeated it again and again.
And even when scientific tests confirmed the 'Holy' Shroud was made exactly when a Prince of the Church (no less) stated it had been after hearing the confession of the artist who faked it True Believers refuse to face facts.

Rock Knocker

9/5/2021 06:55:19 pm

Strange how the British Library this to say about the Anglo-Saxon Mappa Mundi map:

“Asia, Europe, and Africa are the only three continents represented, reflecting the known extent of the world in Western Christendom during this period.”

Perhaps they are part of the great cabal which is so intent on hiding the ‘secret’ world history which only the chosen few know about…

Patrick Shekleton

9/12/2021 08:01:41 pm

"Great cabal" and ""secret" world history" and "chosen few" are code words for disguised literary inventions. Of course these phrases capture the attention of some folks - which is the intended effect. I don't subscribe to those terms.

E.P. Grondine

9/6/2021 01:37:05 pm

Thanks for he news on the Vlinland Map

By way of thanks, here's the news on Ancient Aliens:.

https://youtu.be/2a65Q0X8R6A

Chris

9/6/2021 02:03:04 pm

Real or not, Snorri Karlsrfnison did exist and was born in Vinland

Roge

9/26/2021 12:43:26 am

Aluland, Vinland and markland =AVM
Grapevines,which were supposedly discovered, are a sign of a secret society(useful idiots)so Vinland may not have existed.

E.P. Grondine

9/8/2021 10:21:12 am

Hi Jason -

I do not know if this link will work, but here is an excellent summary of ancient aliens by Spencer McDaniel. enjoy

https://www.quora.com/Why-do-some-people-say-that-the-ancient-astronaut-hypothesis-is-based-on-racist-assumptions

Anthony G.

9/11/2021 03:58:29 am

https://www.academia.edu/49030956/c_1100_1199_Sawley_Mappa_Mundi_Cartographic_Evidence_of_the_Pre_Columbian_Newport_Tower

https://www.academia.edu/48914990/c_1225_1250_Vi%C3%B0ey_Map_Cartographic_Evidence_of_the_Pre_Columbian_Newport_Tower

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qB2-rNeaJvPOSAiRnvq0b2gd9GLh_l4O/view?usp=sharing

Cartography tells a completely different story. These are two more medieval examples which predate the irrelevant map held by Yale.

David Bradbury link

9/12/2021 02:09:08 pm

Is there a cure for pareidolia and apophenia?

Kent

9/13/2021 10:50:01 pm

Headectomy is the only proven treatment though there have been some successes with chiroamputation as a stopgap therapy.

At the end of the day, like stupid, you can't fix crazy and just like ditch diggers the world apparently needs mental patients too.

Jim

9/13/2021 11:03:35 pm

Horse dewormer ?

Tom A. Hawk

9/20/2021 02:48:36 pm

KENT
9/13/2021 10:17:44 pm

And it should be noted that squiggles and giggles ON THE BACK OF A MAP do not constitute part of the map.

KENT
9/14/2021 02:01:32 am

There is an undeniable archaeological record at l'Anse aus Meadows. Yet strangely it appears not to have generated any maps.

https://www.academia.edu/49030956/c_1100_1199_Sawley_Mappa_Mundi_Cartographic_Evidence_of_the_Pre_Columbian_Newport_Tower

ROFLMAO! You should really read the research before you speak, genius. L'Anse Aux Meadows is depicted. They have established a pattern. Science! The pattern repeats. Science! Everything they've done is repeatable. That's Science!

"The 12th century anonymous cartographer who fashioned the map illustrated the world as he understood it. The cartographer knew of North America, then understood to be Asia, for he illustrated its coastline on the reverse side of the map at the bottom."

The 1199 Sawley Map repeats the pattern they established with the 1025-1050 Cotton World Map. There's a reason they're bouncing between the top 1% and 0.5% on Academia. I didn't even know top half percent was possible on that site. I had never seen it before. I was truly amazed when I was able to repeat their results with the Vinland Map. None of which appears in the fake ink.

Maybe if you tried removing your head from your backside you wouldn't speak from it so much.

Kent

9/22/2021 10:53:10 am

Uh, Romans walked to China so given that the circumference of the Earth was common knowledge by then, if they had known about North America they wouldn't have confused it with Asia.

Stuff you post on academia.edu is by no stretch of the sane imagination "research". I don't need more dispatches from the Arts and Crafts Room at the Institute.

Jim

10/10/2021 09:53:45 am

Wolter calls the team of scientists at Yale who proved (once again) that the map is a fake a " Bunch of jack wagons!"

Wolter wouldn't know "hard science" if it hit him over the head with a chunk of graywacke sandstone.

https://twitter.com/RealScottWolter/status/1446621491634790404