America Discovered by the Welsh in 1170 A.D.Bowen, Benjamin Franklin
History
America Discovered by the Welsh in 1170 A.D.
Bowen, Benjamin Franklin
America -- Discovery and exploration -- Welsh
A relic which obtained great celebrity some years ago, and which is now
in the possession of some person in Richmond, Virginia, was found at
Grave Creek, Virginia, near the Ohio, in the upper vault of the
celebrated mound there. The attention of the learned world was brought
to it by Mr. Schoolcraft, who made a correct drawing and published it.
The mound went by the suggestive name of "_The Grave_." It was pointed
out to travellers on the Ohio, and was frequently visited. Dates were
cut upon the trees surmounting it as early as 1734. The relic was found,
with other things, by the side of some skeletons. It is nearly circular
in form, and composed of a compact sandstone of a light color. The
inscription upon it runs in three parallel lines, and comprises
twenty-four distinct characters, having at the bottom a hieroglyphic or
ideographic sign. It has been subjected to the studious scrutiny of many
learned men, with various results. The most of the characters have been
decided to be Celtic or old British; and therefore they afford some clue
as to the origin of the relic itself. The very fact of these characters
being alphabetical indicates that the inscription was made by those of
European origin.
What, then, is the conclusion? That it was inscribed by those who
understood the old British or Welsh language, who occupied the valley of
the Ohio centuries ago, and who were the followers or descendants of
Madoc.
Some years ago, a circular plate, made of copper and overlaid with a
thick plate of silver on one side, was found near the city of Marietta,
Ohio. The copper was nearly reduced to an oxide, or rust. The silver was
black, but could be brightened by being rubbed. A small piece of leather
was inserted between the two plates of silver and copper, and both held
together with a central rivet. This relic exactly resembled the bosses
or ornaments appended to the belt of the broadsword of the ancient
Briton or Welshman. It lay on the face of the skeleton, preserving the
bone, as it did the leather and the lint or flax around the rivet. Near
the body was found a plate of silver, six inches long and two in
breadth, and weighing one ounce. There were also several pieces of a
copper tube, filled with rust.
These are supposed to have belonged to the equipage of a sword; though
nothing but iron rust could be found to answer for such a weapon. Near
the feet of the skeleton was a copper plumb, of about three ounces'
weight, and resembling an ordinary clock-weight.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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