39294
Accession Number
35786
Author
Donahue, D.J.;Olin, J.S.;Harbottle, G.
Title Of Article Chaper
Determination of the Radiocarbon Age of Parchment of the Vinland Map
Title Of Journal Book
Radiocarbon
Volume
44
Issue
1
Pages
45-52
Collation
8 p. : ills.
Reference Bibliography
Includes bibliographic references
Language Of Text
English
Literature Type
Serial
Literature Level
Analytic
Abstract
The Vinland Map, drawn on a 27.8 x 41.0 cm parchment bifolium, is housed in the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library at Yale University. In the northwest Atlantic Ocean, it shows the Island of Vinland, discovered by Bjarni and Leif in company. Skelton, Marston, and Painter firmly argued the map’s authenticity, associating it with the Council of Basle (AD 1431-1449), that is, half a century before Columbus’s voyage. Nevertheless, vigorous scholarly questioning of the map’s authenticity has persisted. We have determined the precise radiocarbon age of the map’s parchment by accelerator mass spectrometer (AMS). The one-sigma calibrated calendrical date range is AD 1434 [plus or minus] 11 years: the 95% confidence level age range is AD 1411-1468.
Keywords
map;parchment;age;radiocarbon;analysis
pub_id
39294