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Synopsis
The "Vinland Map" first surfaced on the antiquarian market in 1957 and the map's authenticity has been hotly debated ever since in controversies ranging from the anomalous composition of the ink and the map's lack of provenance to a plethora of historical and cartographical riddles. Maps, Myths, and Men is the first work to address the fuli range of this debate. Focusing closely on what the map in fact shows, the book offers a critique of the 1965 work The Vinland Map and the Tartar Relation; scrutinizes the marketing strategies used in 1957; and covers many aspects of the map which demonstrate that the map is a modern fake, such as literary evidence and several scientific ink analyses performed between 1967 and 2002. It explains a number of the riddles and provides evidence for both the identity of the mapmaker and the source of the parchment used, and applies current knowledge of medleval Norse culture and exploration to counter widespread misinformation about Norse voyages to North America and about the Norse world picture.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book contains a huge amount of information- the footnotes alone run to 60 pages- which the author struggles to organise. Topics frequently reappear in odd corners of the book's nine thematic sections, so the comprehensive index is extremely valuable. For this reason, it's best read as a series of linked essays rather than a single narrative.
This is not a book about "why the Vinland Map must be a fake"- it presents little new evidence on that matter. Kirsten Seaver is more concerned with the doings and motives of the map's alleged creator, and of its subsequent owners and promoters. I remain unconvinced by her arguments about the origin and purpose of the Map, but her exposure of the machinations since 1957 when it emerged in the antiquarian book trade is fascinating and, to those who value scholarship, deeply troubling.
The background material she presents- on the real history of Norse exploration and settlement in the North Atlantic; on the real history of the early mapping of the far North; on the life of the alleged culprit, is also very interesting, and probably worth the paperback price on its own. Although I think she over-emphasises some aspects of this background (particularly in her debunking of the "medieval flat earth" myth), and wrongly downplays others (notably the Map's debt to the cartography of Andrea Bianco), I cannot but admire the effort that has gone into this book.
This is not a book about "why the Vinland Map must be a fake"- it presents little new evidence on that matter. Kirsten Seaver is more concerned with the doings and motives of the map's alleged creator, and of its subsequent owners and promoters. I remain unconvinced by her arguments about the origin and purpose of the Map, but her exposure of the machinations since 1957 when it emerged in the antiquarian book trade is fascinating and, to those who value scholarship, deeply troubling.
The background material she presents- on the real history of Norse exploration and settlement in the North Atlantic; on the real history of the early mapping of the far North; on the life of the alleged culprit, is also very interesting, and probably worth the paperback price on its own. Although I think she over-emphasises some aspects of this background (particularly in her debunking of the "medieval flat earth" myth), and wrongly downplays others (notably the Map's debt to the cartography of Andrea Bianco), I cannot but admire the effort that has gone into this book.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
3 reviews
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
The best book so far about Vinland and the Vinland map !
2 Aug 2004
Format:Paperback
This book gives you the latest updates regarding archaeological findings of Norse artifacts in Canada and Norse objects made of
American resources found in Greenland. It goes through all
Norse references about the Norse way of seeing the world and
suggests that the Norse used American territories for centuries
after Leif Eiriksson's discovery.
The fact that no other pre-Columbian Norse maps of Vinland
exists together with ink studies, oddities in the text on the map and script analyzes suggests that the Vinland map is a 20th
century fake made by a German priest.
If you are interested in the Viking voyages to America this book is a must in your collection and the reference section will
guide you to further interesting material about Vinland.
American resources found in Greenland. It goes through all
Norse references about the Norse way of seeing the world and
suggests that the Norse used American territories for centuries
after Leif Eiriksson's discovery.
The fact that no other pre-Columbian Norse maps of Vinland
exists together with ink studies, oddities in the text on the map and script analyzes suggests that the Vinland map is a 20th
century fake made by a German priest.
If you are interested in the Viking voyages to America this book is a must in your collection and the reference section will
guide you to further interesting material about Vinland.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Detecting a Literary Forgery
13 July 2006
Format:Paperback
Author Seaver is nothing if not thorough. She spends more than 400 pages of text and notes in this book examining the provenance and legitimacy of the famous Vinland map published in 1965 by two institutional giants, Yale University and the British Museum. The authenticity of the map, supposedly drawn in 1440 and showing "Vinland," the Norse discoveries in North America, has long been questioned by scholars. Seaver's account and her detective work in identifying the likely forger of the map is likely to be the definitive account.
Actually, although admiring her work, I spent little time on the long tale of how she determined the Vinland map is a modern-day forgery. More interesting to me was her summary of Norse history in North America which she covered in the first 86 pages. This is an abridgement of the longer account she gave in "The Frozen Echo"
The main question she tackles is one of the most intriguing in history: why did the Norse colonies in Greenland disappear after almost 500 years of existence? A worsening climate, Eskimo attacks, and the failure of the Norse to adjust to the environment of the Arctic have all been cited. To the contrary, Seaver believes that the Greenland colonies failed because the isolated residents united with English cod fishermen and moved on to greener -- and more lucrative -- pastures in Newfoundland about 1500. There's little evidence to back up her opinion, although it is well reasoned. If this idea excites you, read "The Frozen Echo" for a more thorough examination.
Seaver combined the skill of an exhaustive, and sometimes exhausting, scholar with that of a literary detective in writing the book. Its worth your attention.
Smallchief
Actually, although admiring her work, I spent little time on the long tale of how she determined the Vinland map is a modern-day forgery. More interesting to me was her summary of Norse history in North America which she covered in the first 86 pages. This is an abridgement of the longer account she gave in "The Frozen Echo"
The main question she tackles is one of the most intriguing in history: why did the Norse colonies in Greenland disappear after almost 500 years of existence? A worsening climate, Eskimo attacks, and the failure of the Norse to adjust to the environment of the Arctic have all been cited. To the contrary, Seaver believes that the Greenland colonies failed because the isolated residents united with English cod fishermen and moved on to greener -- and more lucrative -- pastures in Newfoundland about 1500. There's little evidence to back up her opinion, although it is well reasoned. If this idea excites you, read "The Frozen Echo" for a more thorough examination.
Seaver combined the skill of an exhaustive, and sometimes exhausting, scholar with that of a literary detective in writing the book. Its worth your attention.
Smallchief
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
The Viking Deception continues
12 Nov 2007
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Great book!!! Ms. Seaver's detective work is wonderful and thoughtful-beyond doubt. But the end of the story? NO! Read the book and then order the NOVA DVD on the same topic: "The Viking Deception" (available from Amazon- completed in 2005 after publication of this book and thus updates the story)...Carbon 14 tests indicate the map is on very old parchment but that parchment that may have been 'treated' prior to being used for the map in 1950, thus the priest as creator is now doubtful. If created in 1950 the 'creator' is again open to investigation and question. Lots of questions, lots of debate--great story.
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