Prompt Cast
The Possibility of Irish Monks Reaching North America Before the Vikings
TLDR There is some evidence and folklore suggesting that Irish monks, led by Saint Brendan, may have reached North America before the Vikings. While there is no conclusive proof, the theory is supported by accounts such as the Travels of Saint Brendan and the Navigatio, as well as the successful recreation of the journey by Tim Severin.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
The first Europeans to definitively reach North America were the Vikings, with a Viking settlement discovered in Newfoundland in the 60s.
02:01
The theory is that the Irish, led by Saint Brendan, may have reached North America before the Vikings, but it is unclear where exactly they landed.
04:19
In the ninth century, there was an account called Travels of Saint Brendan that described a journey, and there is some evidence in Norse sagas that supports the idea of Irish monks reaching Greenland before the Vikings.
06:34
There is evidence recorded by the Norse that suggests Irish monks may have reached the New World before the Vikings, but there is also a lot of folklore surrounding this idea.
09:17
There is no conclusive evidence that the Horse Creek Petroglyphs in West Virginia were created by Irish monks, and most academics do not believe that the script found there is Ogam or that it references the nativity.
11:31
The Navigatio, a text written about two to 300 years after Saint Brendan would have lived, contains fantastical tales that may have been embellished, but it doesn't necessarily mean that there isn't some truth to the story.
13:28
An author and adventurer named Tim Severin built a Kirak boat and retraced the route that Saint Brendan is believed to have taken, proving that it is possible for him to have made the journey.
Categories:
Society & Culture
