The Newport Tower
Medieval stone tower ... in Rhode Island. Does it look like any other Colonial structure you've seen? Recent carbon dating of the mortar indicates 1400s construction date (see post below).
The Westford Knight Sword
Medieval Battle Sword ... in Westford, Massachusetts. Can anyone deny the pommel, hilt and blade punch-marked into the bedrock?
The Spirit Pond Rune Stone
Medieval Inscription ... in Maine, near Popham Beach. Long passed off as a hoax, but how many people know the Runic language? And how is it that some of the Runic characters match rare runes on inscriptions found in Minnesota and Rhode Island? Carbon-dating of floorboards at nearby long house date to 1405.
The Narragansett Rune Stone
Medieval Inscription ... in Rhode Island's Narragansett Bay. This Runic inscription is only visible for twenty minutes a day at low tide--is this also the work of a modern-day, Runic-speaking hoaxster?
The Westford Boat Stone
Medieval Ship Carving ... in Westford, MA. Found near the Westford Knight site. Weathering patterns of carving are consistent with that of 600-year-old artifact. And why would a Colonial trail-marker depict a knorr, a 14th-century ship?
The Kensington Rune Stone
Medieval Inscription... in Minnesota. Forensic geology confirms the carvings predate European settlement of Minnesota--so did Runic-speaking Native Americans carve it?
The Hooked X Rune
Medieval Runic Character ... on inscriptions found in Maine, Minnesota and Rhode Island. But this rare rune was only recently found in Europe. This conclusively disproves any hoax theory while also linking these three artifacts together.
Friday, September 18, 2009
History Channel Documentary
The History Channel will be airing a documentary Sunday, 9/20 at 8:00 entitled "Holy Grail in America." The title is overly-sensationalized, but the documentary does a good job focusing on the various sites and artifacts--most of which are discussed in "Cabal of the Westford Knight"--that evidence medieval exploration of America. I am interviewed discussing the Westford Knight and Boat Stone carvings. I think the show will be repeated frequently over the coming months. Good to see this subject getting the attention it deserves!
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19 comments:
Hi Dave! I'm excited to see the show Sunday night! I loved the book, as I did all your others. What's next for you? Also let Kim know I really enjoyed her book, Papaya Myths. My best to you all. Marie
I just saw the show (tivo'd it from earlier this evening). Absolutely fascinating! I live in Tewksbury, so I've got to come over and take a look at what's going on in Westford. Being from Maine as well. I need to read some of these books!
Thanks, Marie. Good to hear from you. Hope all is well!
To the Tewksbury poster:
Yes, the Maine sites play a big part in this story. Glad you liked the documentary.
Dave
Absolutely Fascinating!! I loved the History Channel Documentary ( which I also dvr'd). Am excited to purchase your book and learn more! FIL was born and raised in Newport RI. Earlier discussion before his passing was that it was believed to be of Norse origin. I just learned this summer that my 88 y.o.MIL's Father,Brother,
Grandfather,and Great Grandfather were Templar Freemason Members in Scotland and the U.S. She was reluctant to speak of it in detail at first because she felt that many believed them to be 'bad'.
So pleased to have found this site.
Thank You !!!!
Between your Newport, Scotland and Templar family connections, I can see why this subject interests you!
The show was great. I don't know about the "Holy Grail" part of it, but they did a great job focusing on the sites, artifacts, and scientific evidence behind them. I just finished your book this morning, it was great. I caught a little bit of Scott Wolter on Coast to Coast AM a couple of months ago. I got his book, in it he mentions you and your book. Then the History Channel show, it all fell right into place. I grew up in Tiverton, RI, now live in Westport, MA, I've been to Newport countless times and never seen or even heard of the Newport tower until Scott's and your book. I can't wait to go check it out. Thanks.
Mike, Westport, MA
Mike, I agree--I could have done without the holy grail fluff. It just detracts from the artifacts and actual history. Funny how not many people in RI know about the Tower. I used to spend summers in Newport but never saw the Tower until I started researching my book. You should definitely check it out!
Hi Dave. I just saw the re-run of the show on the History Channel. Absolutely fasincating. I have Sinclair's in my family history and have been following the Templar link for years now. I've got to pick up your book! I've added your blog to mine on the QE2. Cheers, Ken
Thanks, Ken. Are you in the New England area? As a Sinclair, I'm not surprised you're interested in this stuff!
Dave,
I am located in Haddam, CT. I went to Roger Williams University, graduating with a degree in Architecture and Naval Architecture. I recall seeing the Tower during a walking tour of Newport for an Historic Preservation class. I need to make another day trip to Newport. Ken
Hey David, I finished your book last night and really enjoyed it. I liked how you mixed fact and fiction seamlessly into a great story; I'm going to pick up a copy of the Hooked X next week. I wish Southern California had places that contained such history as the rest of the US…but hey we got the sun and the Missions!
Are you working on a follow up?
John, I'm glad you enjoyed the book. As you can imagine, I had a lot of fun researching and writing it. Yes, I am working on a sequel in which Cam and Amanda get drawn into another mystery involving artifacts across the country that seem to evidence exploration even earlier than Prince Henry. As for artifacts around CA, you'd be surprised what exists in the western part of the country. For example, try Googling "Las Lunas Decalogue Stone." Fun stuff!
Hello David and all, The history Channel will be running the Grail in America story on Dec.14th.. enjoy... also I believe they are doing a part two.
Like Alice Kehoe, I do not agree with Wolters conclusions. Also the statement that there is not enought water to float a boat in Minnesota(land of 10,000 lakes)is just simply ridiculus.
Geologist Wolters has confirmed what I and many believed,,, that the Kensington Runestone(KRS) is real.
However ..on the history channel they have the KRS sitting in a dark room. They do this because they do not want to let you see the dozens of viking age artifacts that are displayed with he KRS that were found in this area too.
(wouldn,t fit their theory)???
thanks
sherm
Sherm:
Thanks for the note about History Channel re-airing special on 12/14.
Regarding Scott Wolter's comments about boats in Minnesota, I believe you are referring to the dispute over the "mooring holes" found in that state and whether they are mooring holes or instead something else. Clearly there are many areas of MN where boats would have needed mooring holes. But there exist a number of these holes in areas known to have been above lake level for the past 1000-plus years. So why have a mooring hole where no boat could reach? It is possible these holes were used for navigation and/or mapmaking.
Regarding your point about other Viking-age artifacts, I was unaware of these. But I do note the date on the Kensington Rune Stone is 1362, which is later than the "Viking Era." Of course, Norsemen continued to explore, and in fact the KRS inscription tells us that the exploration party consisted of 8 Goths and 22 Norwegians.
-Dave Brody
Hello Dave,You are exactly right.
No water.
No Ships.
No Mooring Stone required.
But it is wrong.
Totally backwards.
They are looking at a 2-dimentional map.
Dave , please take a few minutes and look at it this way.
Minnesota;
Min=water
ne sota = color of blue sky.
Minnesota is Waterworld.
It was nearly impassible most of the year.
The many rivers, lakes and swamps devide the state.
While reading the Journals of John Carver I realized that travel was ONLY by water.
The Mississippi River, the Minnesota River, the Red River, the Chippewa River, etc make crossing the state impossible with out a boat.(most of the year)
The Alexandria morraine.
In west central minnesota there is a strip of higherground 50 miles wide and 100 miles long that interstae 94 follows. It was the deviding line between the souix and chippewa and was the route to the Redriver Valley that the first settlers followed in the 1800,s.
This morraine is a glacial ridge that is a few hundred feet higher than the prairie to the west and drained by the Chippewa river that flows north to south along the western edge of the ridge.
Here on the southwest side of the morraine a couple miles from the Chippewa river is the town of Kensington and the hill the runestone was found on.
Ancient Waterways.
To the vikings the water was not a barrier but was there freeway for their RV,s.
We know that the vikings had ships and boat that were able to travel in a few feet of water.(i hope someone told scot) and these shallow draft viking longships would have traveled easlily down from Hudson Bay through the Red River. The Red River at Fargo Moorhead is a hundred feet wide and ten feet deep and would have easlily floated the boat. The route has been proven and there are many mooring stones and ancient artifacts found along it to support the claim.
The runestone reads;
"from this island,1362"
The carvers of the runestone saw this as waterworld and would have easlily navagated these ancient waterways.
In 1355 the King of Norway sent Paul Knutson and 3 ships to find the Greenland settlers.
Vikings.
There have been many arguements as to the term Viking and the dates.
These 8 goter and 22 norr are swedes and norwegians who are decendents of the vikings, looking for those vikings, and are traveling in viking boats and viking londships and are carving runestones like those that were carved during the viking pediod.
I have read that some viking kings lived in the northern islands of scandinavia until the 1500,s.
So call them norse, call them scandinavians, call them vikings,, that all work for me.(helps others sell books too)
thanks
steve
Dave, thanks for your time and reply.
Five years ago I began plotting all the mooring stones and viking artifacts and landmarkes, ancient waterways and topgraghy on a 8'x8' map that is also the first composit landsurvey map of minnesota made in the mid 1800,s.
I have explored the Red river , the Buffalo river, the Leaf river, the Ottertail river, and he chippewa river. I have discovered an ancient portage that ties the ancient ways together.Here I have found a special mound.
I have found many mooring stones the last couple of years. I have found a viking age javlim tip. I have found a whetstone that is identicle to the one found in the hole with the runestone.
The experts have completely missed the other side of this island or mountain.But now you know.
Dave, viking anchor found,,
"""Mr Mackenzie said: "Where it was lying, is only 100 yards above the high water mark.
"We are on a raised beach, so the land has been rising since Viking times.
"Maybe then the tide came right up to the point where I found it.
"The anchor was 2ft under the peat."""
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/8393952.stm
mooring stones like anchors don,t need to be found in the water.(farmer tend to move them off the fields,too)
someone who has not seen an ocean or a ship or west-central minnesota is very confused about mooring stones.
As a boy in Westford I remember workmen uncovered a large engraved flat stone while widening a road. This was about 1962. Anyone could drive to it and look at it. If my memory serves, it was a shield with some color elements.
Michael:
Do you recall where this was? The Boat Stone was found during a road widening, but there is no shield on it (there is a medieval boat called a knorr, a crossbow arrow, and markings that look like the numerals 1-8-4). Maybe there's another carving I'm not aware of!
Dave
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