[Sca-cooks] 1421

[Ann Sasahara]

Interestingly enough this debate has been going on for a few decades.  In
1977, I was an Anthro undergrad at Univ of AZ, where my professors presented
a 'recent' China/Japan to Mesoamerica theory (Meggers and Evans, American
Anthropologist, 1977) as a possible theory for cultural diffusion in the
Americas  My professors were Rathje (Cozumel Mayan site) and Culbert (Tikal
Mayan site), both prominent in Mesoamerican archaeology.  So, when they
spoke, I heard the Word from on high and yeay, verrily, I believed the Word.
:)  And the Word was that Orient-to- Mesoamerica diffusion was all
speculation, because it lacked hard archaeological evidence.

Now that decades of research have passed, there is a bit more evidence, but
I'm still rather skeptical -- it's hard to shake the influence of past profs
and mentors.  For those who enjoy the topic, the following link is a
slightly-biased summary of the whole Fusang diffusion debate from day one:

http://hussle.harvard.edu/~zhang/docs/Pre-Columbian%20Contact.pdf

Aside: Potential cultural diffusion like this really makes one wonder about
'indigenous' foods.  ;-)

Food for thought,

-Ariann
Libri tot, parum temporis....
----- Original Message -----
From: "Terry Decker" <t.d.decker at worldnet.att.net>
> While I find the Zuni thing questionable, there is a paper which
>describes a pottery comparison between an area in Japan and
>one on the West Coast.  The unique simularities between the two
>pottery styles suggests cross contamination.  The author speculates
>that the Japanese designs may have been introduced by a shipwrecked
>Japanese fisherman, a more believable scenario than an elusive
>expedition which leaves no trail.