Did the Vikings Walk the Natchez Trace?

46 Comments

1. 

   You know Andra, as I read this post I had this subtle feeling of deep excitement picturing myself as a research assistant to someone who wrote novels / books about history of this sort! Hehehehe.

   1. 

      The research can be very dry, Shree. 🙂 Just lots and lots of reading for me. Some travel, but mostly reading and googling.

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         Ah…I actually like doing stuff like that…lol. I picture old libraries…big books…big old books, a notebook, lots of pens and pencils at hand…you know, that sort of stuff rocks my boat..hahahahaa

2. 

   So much we don’t know about the world we live in.

   1. 

      Mystery fuels imagination.

   2. 

      if only they had used foursquare! lol

   3. 

      I can see people a thousand years from now: Why did these people record all this stuff and put it in public? Who cared? 🙂

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         they’ll think we had a god named Google and part of our worship of the great Google was to upload data to him, as a sacrifice for our sins.

3. 

   Fascinating to contemplate the implications of this find. I like how it weaves smoothly into the fabric of the existing Native American folklore. Way cool.

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      Who knows whether they’ll be able to somehow prove the Native American stories. I’ll be interested.

4. 

   Living in Denmark, I’ve been to more than one Viking Ship museum, and I can tell you, it’s pretty impressive how far they made it in those boats. I mean, sure they’re lovely, but North America is a long way away. And they didn’t have bunks or cabins…..But they were a hearty, blood thirsty lot. I imagine they just wanted to find a bit of nice weather. 😉

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      I can’t imagine how they traveled all that way in them, Dina.

5. 

   Absolutely fascinating. I’m guessing they came from Greenland to what is now Newfoundland and Nova Scotia, then down the coast. It wouldn’t surprise me one little bit that they crossed the Atlantic, amazing seafarers.

   1. 

      Archeology puts them as far south as New York State, but this is a lot more sailing from there.

6. 

   Extrapolating . . . If some of those red-haired Vikings followed the Natchez Trace; if they, like those in the Lewis and Clark band of merry men, spread seed among the natives; and, if those offspring stayed to populate the hills of Tennessee . . . might your maternal ancestry have roots in Scandinavia?

   Just musing. 🙂

   A. “Guardians?”

   1. 

      Both sides of my family are pretty consistent, with one exception: my mother’s side does contain some mingling with Native Americans. My great-grandmother on my mother’s side was 100%, I think. If anything like that happened, that would be the in.

7. 

   Once upon a time, a Viking ship sat in Chicago’s Lincoln Park. Don’t remember the history, dating, etc., but, it was a huge, wooden structure that a group of latter day Vikings refurbished and moved somewhere else. It’s a wonder, isn’t it, how these groups traveled so long, long ago.

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      I can’t imagine traveling oceans on those ships. They were made of sterner stuff than me. 🙂

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         Me, too.

8. 

   What an amazing discovery — fascinating!

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      I really enjoyed reading about it and have to thank Carnell for sending the link.

9. 

   Your questions about the past automatically make me think of 1000 years from now and a vision of the questions those folks will ask. “Did this culture really think it was a big deal to get to the moon?” could be one. It is magical to think in both directions and why your posts are so good.

   1. 

      Surely we’ll find a way to travel at the speed of light by then, which must approximate Star Trek’s beam me up. 🙂

10. 

    You might be interested in a book I read recently – “The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration” by Isabel Wilkerson. While it does not discuss Vikings, it is an interesting read. I know it’s hot here but just think how much hotter you would be if you were in Charleston!!

    1. 

       I’m pretty comfy up at Montreat. I have to head back to Charleston in the morning for a weekend with Kate Shrewsday.

11. 

    My genetics are Viking on my paternal side. My maternal side is harder to pin down (haplogroup H58). Because I’m adopted, I have no idea or connection to any of it. Consequently, I love tales about little-known exploration. The Vikings were on this continent well before Columbus showed up and are finally starting to get some credit. There are also Welsh tales about the Navajo language. And Navajo connections to the Tibetan language. It just gets my imagination humming. The truth is probably much stranger that what we think we know.

    1. 

       There are several references in Chinese lore about the Chinese being here earlier than Columbus.

12. 

    The only viking Krista would be interested in knowing more about is this guy, so if you find out he is out there let her know immediately:

    http://wallpapershots.tk/wp-content/uploads/ragnar-lothbrok-5.png

    http://31.media.tumblr.com/0855a0da89d07835781628f7d7ccae7f/tumblr_moietu44Lq1qc57sno1_1280.jpg

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDTXdIV3fWU

    1. 

       Will do. 🙂

13. 

    Fascinating stuff, Andra. I believe we are all more connected than we think as each generation has more than a few “super explorers” who are driven to go farther than anyone else. And yes, I’m reading the trivia questions. 🙂

14. 

    I love this idea. 😀

15. 

    Very interesting, Andra!!! I’m so glad you’re doing such in-depth research!!

16. 

    As with most quests, Andra, you’ll find information reaching out to you in the oddest of ways. I hope you find the answers you’re looking for… plus some further questions as well…

17. 

    wow, what an exciting discovery, can’t wait to find out more –

18. 

    Ok…that’s very cool.!! I personally love Vikings.!! I’m amazed at their ability to have traversed the world – true explorers and warriors. Just wow.!! Thanks for sharing – I’ve never heard that theory before 🙂

19. 

    If Kirk Douglas was on board – probably. ODIN! – Spoof or not – it is worth a yarn Andra!

20. 

    This just thrills my nerdy heart! I will certainly look it up.

    1. 

       before you go look it up read her next post about it!

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          Oh No!!!

21. 

    I have heard of Prince Madoc before… I cannot imagine why or how. I had not heard of the Viking ship in the Mississippi mud near Memphis. I guess it may be possible they walked the Trace. What would it have been like back then do you think? Forrest, grassland?