THE DAILY TIMES-JOURNAL
MARCH 12, 1948
PORT ARTHUR-FORT WILLIAM
from: The Fenwick papers - Nipigon Museum Archives
Washington, March 12, 1948 (AP)
Smithsonian Archaeologists, announcing acquisition of Minnesota's famed "Kensington Stone" said yesterday they believe it is authentic.
The carved stone contains a message ostensibly written by a party of Vikings in 1362, more than a century before Columbus' day.
It relates in Norse characters that a band of Swedish and Norwegian explorers had reached what is now Minnesota - and then ran into trouble , presumably Indians.
It is a tale of blood and death - and Smithsonian scientists see " a very high probability" that it was the despairing message to posterity of the doomed men.
The message as translated with some reconstruction is as follows:
"(We are) eight Goths (Swedes) and 22 Norwegians on (an) exploration journal from Vineland through (or across) the west. We had camp by ( a lake with) 2 sker ies (one day's journey) north from this stone. We were out and fished one day. After we came home (we) found 10 (of our) men red with blood and dead. Avm. (presumably 'Hail Mary") Save us from evil. (We) have 10 of our party by the sea to look after our ships 14 days journey from this island. Year 1362."
Whew! I did not read the date.
ReplyDeleteMy heart skipped a beat! I thought the BIGGEST Eurocentric minded institution with financed by USA taxpayers had just swallowed another NORSE artifact to hide deep in their coffers.
I am more composed now.
Google WYNLAND OF WEST TOPICS, follow the evidence trail. Heck, read all of it.
Then read the rest of the story via LENAPE EPIC TOPICS.
If any of you are Norse--I see the town claims to be Viking--start rattling a lot of cages often. The Norse Christian Lenape history is a story your elementary students should be reading in school.