03-12-2009, 01:00 PM
I think when talking about Roman ships in the Americas, as a presupposition for an, even accidental, stay of Romans there or spread or Roman artefacts, we shouldn't forget that the odds, i.e. natural conditions and state of art of Roman shipbuilding are pretty much against this.
First thing is Romans or any other one at their time built no ships that were fit for the high seas.
And even if they or any other one had, they would have lacked the ability to cross effectively against the wind, which started to develope in late antiquity. But without this ability, it's virtually impossible to overcome the Atlantic's currents, that will prevent a wreck being drifted to the shores of the Americas, as well.
So far any other explanation for "Roman" finds in the Americas is more likely, i.e. being brought by later immingrants.
As to the actual shipwreck found, that we're talking about, I don't think there's actually a positive identification and I would really like to know who these experts were. "Expert" is elastic term
. And the conditions which these wrecks are usually in, including those from very much later, doesn't give so much clues, as the finder might indicate to determine the type with certainty.
First thing is Romans or any other one at their time built no ships that were fit for the high seas.
And even if they or any other one had, they would have lacked the ability to cross effectively against the wind, which started to develope in late antiquity. But without this ability, it's virtually impossible to overcome the Atlantic's currents, that will prevent a wreck being drifted to the shores of the Americas, as well.
So far any other explanation for "Roman" finds in the Americas is more likely, i.e. being brought by later immingrants.
As to the actual shipwreck found, that we're talking about, I don't think there's actually a positive identification and I would really like to know who these experts were. "Expert" is elastic term
. And the conditions which these wrecks are usually in, including those from very much later, doesn't give so much clues, as the finder might indicate to determine the type with certainty.
[size=85:2j3qgc52]- Carsten -[/size]
