1421 Chinese map of the world
February 2, 2006 8:03 AM   Subscribe

Old map recently found in a Shanghai shop may offer fresh evidence for a Chinese navigation of the world as early as 1418 by Zheng He. If authentic, it means the Chinese beat Christopher Columbus by about 70 years. See also and 1421: The Year China Discovered America.
posted by stbalbach (20 comments total)

This post was deleted for the following reason: posted recently



 
See also Metafilter.
posted by Nelson at 8:06 AM on February 2, 2006


Didn't we just do this.
posted by caddis at 8:07 AM on February 2, 2006


jinx
posted by caddis at 8:07 AM on February 2, 2006


More on Zheng He from Nat'l Geographic. Also, a Nat'l Geographic article claiming the map is a hoax.
posted by sciurus at 8:08 AM on February 2, 2006


DOUBLE DOUBLE POST POST
(from January 13th)
posted by Shfishp at 8:09 AM on February 2, 2006


This post has already been discovered.

(OMG I rule!)

(except that I posted a double yesterday)
posted by ND¢ at 8:12 AM on February 2, 2006


poppo!
posted by shoepal at 8:15 AM on February 2, 2006


I found a map drawn on a napkin by the previous occupant of a table at Starbucks, who as it happens was a native Hawaiian, and it shows, without doubt, that the Hawaiians discovered downtown Los Angeles before any white man. I will be selling this napkin on Ebay in the near future.
posted by beagle at 8:15 AM on February 2, 2006


Might I add that a map found in a Shanghai antiques shop leads researchers to belive that Chinese treasure ships comanded by ... oh my... no really... they did?... here on metafilter?....
posted by zaelic at 8:20 AM on February 2, 2006


I'd hardly call it a 'discovery' if they didn't record it or write it down anywhere. I'm sure there were lots of non-natives wandering around in the americas and not really getting the word out before Columbus.
posted by delmoi at 8:20 AM on February 2, 2006


Before this is deleted, I claim this post for the Chinese.
posted by horsewithnoname at 8:21 AM on February 2, 2006


Developers are planning to buy the entire Goon Docks to demolish it and turn it into a golf course. But in my attic I found an old treasure map that supposedly leads to the secret stash of a legendary 17th century pirate named "One-Eyed" Willie. I am thinking about trying to find this treasure. Any suggestions?
posted by ND¢ at 8:24 AM on February 2, 2006


The Welsh and the Vikings were there before 'em anyhow... :p
posted by Dio at 8:24 AM on February 2, 2006


I missed it the first time around, so thanks anyway stbalbach. (Still, after reading the article, I'm tempted to call shenanigans. "It is a copy, made in 1763, of a map, dated 1418"?)
posted by Gator at 8:24 AM on February 2, 2006


Sorry, I did a number of searches and nothing came up, should have searched on the Economist URL.
posted by stbalbach at 8:26 AM on February 2, 2006


should have tried the tag "China"
posted by caddis at 8:33 AM on February 2, 2006


my searching foo power need improvement greatly.
posted by stbalbach at 8:45 AM on February 2, 2006


"You can't claim us, we live here! Five hundred million of us!" "Do you have a flag? ... No flag, no country!"

- Eddie Izzard

I have a flag and it's a double.
posted by longbaugh at 8:45 AM on February 2, 2006


See also Native Americans.
posted by wakko at 8:46 AM on February 2, 2006


See also Book of Mormon
posted by Pollomacho at 9:03 AM on February 2, 2006


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