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Did the Vikings reach Maine

Started by Imperial Dave, Mar 01, 2026, 07:12 PM

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Imperial Dave

Former Slingshot editor

Ian61

There is an old saying - one swallows does not make a summer. I think this applies here, a coin is an easily transportable item easily picked up by a native and traded down. That said I am sure there were lot of journeys we should have in the history books but weren't written down.
Ian Piper
Norton Fitzwarren, Somerset

Erpingham

Really, we need to split the question in two.  Could the Vikings have visited Maine? Yes, they moved around on that coast with ships, so might have popped in. Does the coin have any relevance to the question? Unlikely. It may tell us more about long-range trade networks among the Native Americans though.

Jim Webster

Quote from: Ian61 on Mar 01, 2026, 09:27 PMThere is an old saying - one swallows does not make a summer. I think this applies here, a coin is an easily transportable item easily picked up by a native and traded down. That said I am sure there were lot of journeys we should have in the history books but weren't written down.

Just to agree with you, an Indo-Bactrian silver coin was found in with some Roman coins tucked away for safety by a legionary. If taken seriously it would been that the Indo-Bactrian 'empire' stretched from North West India into Wales

Erpingham

A Buddha statuette from the Viking period was found on the Swedish island of Helgö. All this tells us is there were mechanisms for long-range transfer of goods in play at the time. We cannot assume it was delivered personally by a Buddhist.

Nick Harbud

Quote from: Jim Webster on Mar 02, 2026, 02:28 PMIf taken seriously it would been that the Indo-Bactrian 'empire' stretched from North West India into Wales

Always wondered who imported those two-humped camels...  ???
Nick Harbud