Megalithic America?

[Penny]

There is a myth common to the ancient Celts of Ireland, Wales and Gaul that their descendants are people from the west, sometimes called Atlantis, known to others as Avalon. This myth of western origins is also found among Berbers of the north African coast and in Scandinavia, hardly surprising since they all share an Atlantic seaboard culture since Megalithic times.

Now it is generally agreed that the megalithic builders had an advanced understanding of astronomy and widespread common designs such as spirals, circles and lozenges, which some people think are maps of the night sky, the legends of a lost civilisation seem a little less outlandish.

[Jools]

There's a series of programmes on BBC4 about ancient South American civilisations which makes for compelling viewing.

The trading links between coast, forest and mountain regions were particularly interesting but they all seemed to be overland as if no-one used water transport except to cross a lake or inland sea like Titicaca (even though the boats were demonstrably expertly built and designed). The main, or only, access inland from the Caribbean to the Columbian highlands is via the Magdalena river.

[Stuart]

The Magdalena basin has the highest sediment yield in South America, testament to the mining activity in the region.

Maps tend to simplify matters, the Magdalena isn't navigable along its entire length. One can't help wondering if crossing the land isthmus and sailing south down the coast would be an easier route but sailors generally avoid lee shores.

[Jools]

The land route is preferable, notwithstanding terrain difficulties, because the mining took place in the mountains. In fact there was an interesting correspondence between salt- and metal-mining, salt being the more valued commodity. Puts me in mind of Megalithic trading specialists and links between Saxons, Vikings, Celts, Picts, sea-stacs, offshore islands.

[Boreades]

[Johnny Attero]

I would think that any discussion of Megalithic influence in America would start here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mound_builder_(people)

Man-made hills are all over the Mississippi Valley of the United States, and are usually explained away with the classic orthodox answer of "built for ritualistic purposes."

[Johnny Attero]

Although this may be more classically megalithic. Not quite Stonehenge, but it's an interesting site nonetheless.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/America%27s_Stonehenge

[Boreades]

What do folks make of of Megaliths in New England, USA?

http://s8int.com/page38.html

[TisILeclerc]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-4sI34aIZ0

Here's a talk by Jim Vieira on the very subject with some fascinating photos from inside and outside and with references to solstices etc.

You can practise your downloading techniques on it Borry.

As well as these megaliths etc in North America there are legends of giant red haired people who lived in America. There is a Paiute legend of the Paiute wiping them all out.

http://atlanteangardens.blogspot.co.uk/ ... world.html

' Sarah Winnemucca Hopkins a prominent female Native American activist, educator, and daughter of Paiute Chief Winnemucca, related many stories passed down in her tribe, first hand, about the Si-Te-Cah in her book Life Among the Paiutes, published in 1883.

"My people say that the tribe we exterminated had red hair. I have some of their hair, handed down from father to son. I have a dress which has been in our family a great many years, trimmed with the reddish hair. I am going to wear it some time when I lecture. It is called a mourning dress, and no one has such a dress but my family." '

[TisILeclerc]