Had Romans already been in America?
Entering in the House of the Ephebe, on the lararium on the right it is represented a sacrifice’s scene: the Genius that makes the sacrifice is represented in the action of making an unusual offer, a fruit of pineapple. In a painting preserved at the National Archaeological Museum in Napoles are represented some sprigs with leaves and fruits of mango. It is necessary to remember that mango is aboriginal of southern Asia, while pineapple is aboriginal of tropical America.
How to explain the presence of these fruits in Pompeian paintings? Pliny refers that the Roman merchants, incited by good earnings, found a very short way for India across Nile River, the Red Sea and the Arabic Desert; the whole run was completed in ninetyfour days. But such explanation can be worth for the mango. How to explain the presence of pineapple, aboriginal fruit of America, in Pompeian paintings?
It’s strong the temptation to admit some intercontinental relationships, in classical epoch, perhaps through the Atlantic islands between Brazil and Africa. Besides, how can’t we remain impressed from some unusual analogies between the ancient Egyptian monuments and those that the populations of pre – Columbian America had left shed in the Andes’ countries from Mexico to Peru?
An U.S. archaeologist thinks that pre – Incas civilization was promoted by Phoenician colonizers jointed in America around 2000 B.C.. This affirmation is based on ancient inscriptions with graphic signs very similar to the archaic writing of Sumeri and based on numerous other signs, for exemple the representation on ancient Peruvian vases of a bearded man with a strong aquiline nose of type hittita.
According to a German researcher, about a famous extract of Diodoro Siculo, Phoenicians would have discovered and colonized the coast of Brazil around 1100 B.C.. Their domination would have lasted for a long time; in the 331 Alexander the Great would have sent to South – America a fleet to appropriate of colonial Phoenician empire, but without having success. After the destruction of Carthago, the relationships between Africa and America would have loosen up to stop entirely toward the end of the I century A.D..
Till which point such historical reconstructions are reliable? It’s difficult to say. Meanwhile, the representation of pineapple stays there, undeniable and puzzling documents, in the paintings of unearthed Pompeii.
How to explain the presence of these fruits in Pompeian paintings? Pliny refers that the Roman merchants, incited by good earnings, found a very short way for India across Nile River, the Red Sea and the Arabic Desert; the whole run was completed in ninetyfour days. But such explanation can be worth for the mango. How to explain the presence of pineapple, aboriginal fruit of America, in Pompeian paintings?
It’s strong the temptation to admit some intercontinental relationships, in classical epoch, perhaps through the Atlantic islands between Brazil and Africa. Besides, how can’t we remain impressed from some unusual analogies between the ancient Egyptian monuments and those that the populations of pre – Columbian America had left shed in the Andes’ countries from Mexico to Peru?
An U.S. archaeologist thinks that pre – Incas civilization was promoted by Phoenician colonizers jointed in America around 2000 B.C.. This affirmation is based on ancient inscriptions with graphic signs very similar to the archaic writing of Sumeri and based on numerous other signs, for exemple the representation on ancient Peruvian vases of a bearded man with a strong aquiline nose of type hittita.
According to a German researcher, about a famous extract of Diodoro Siculo, Phoenicians would have discovered and colonized the coast of Brazil around 1100 B.C.. Their domination would have lasted for a long time; in the 331 Alexander the Great would have sent to South – America a fleet to appropriate of colonial Phoenician empire, but without having success. After the destruction of Carthago, the relationships between Africa and America would have loosen up to stop entirely toward the end of the I century A.D..
Till which point such historical reconstructions are reliable? It’s difficult to say. Meanwhile, the representation of pineapple stays there, undeniable and puzzling documents, in the paintings of unearthed Pompeii.