Christopher Columbus's arrival in the Americas in 1492 is often presented as a major discovery, but this view obscures a much older reality. Many populations had already set foot on these lands long before his expedition, challenging our traditional understanding of the exploration of the American continent.
The first inhabitants of the Americas were Indigenous peoples whose ancestors came from Siberia and East Asia. These populations used the Bering Land Bridge, a land strip that once connected Asia to North America during the ice ages. The most recent archaeological research, published in
Nature, indicates that fossil footprints discovered in New Mexico date back approximately 21,000 to 23,000 years, corresponding to the Last Glacial Maximum, a period when immense glaciers covered much of the northern hemisphere.
The Vikings also reached the American continent about five centuries before Columbus, establishing an outpost at L'Anse aux Meadows. According to Icelandic sagas, written in the 13th and 14th centuries, navigators like Bjarni Herjólfsson or Leif Erikson were the first Europeans to explore these coasts. These accounts describe settlement attempts that were quickly abandoned due to hostile relations with the Indigenous populations, who were significantly more numerous and organized.
The L'Anse aux Meadows site in Newfoundland bears witness to a Viking presence about 1,000 years ago, long before Christopher Columbus.
Credit: Russ Heinl via Shutterstock Polynesians may also have sailed to South America about 800 years ago, as suggested by recent genetic studies. The presence of sweet potatoes, native to America, at Polynesian sites, and the analysis of plants consumed on Rapa Nui 1,000 years ago, indicate transoceanic contacts long before European expeditions. These discoveries open new perspectives on the maritime capabilities of ancient civilizations.
Christopher Columbus, for his part, firmly believed he had reached Asia, a conviction that influenced his accounts and claims. Ida Altman, Professor Emerita at the University of Florida, explains that he had staked his reputation on this hypothesis, making any other scenario difficult to accept.
Fossil footprints of ancient humans in New Mexico, dating from 21,000 to 23,000 years ago.
Credit: USGS, NPS, Bournemouth University; Public Domain Icelandic sagas and Viking history
Icelandic sagas are epic narratives written in the 13th and 14th centuries, describing the exploits of the Vikings, including their voyages to North America. These texts, like 'The Saga of Erik the Red', blend history and legend, yet offer valuable clues about early European explorations.
These sagas tell how Viking navigators, driven by winds or seeking new lands, reached unknown coasts, which they named Vinland. Their descriptions of landscapes and encounters with local populations correspond to archaeological discoveries, such as at L'Anse aux Meadows.
The accounts highlight the difficulties encountered by the Vikings, particularly conflicts with Indigenous peoples, which limited their colonization attempts. These interactions show that the Americas were not virgin lands, but inhabited by organized populations.
The study of these sagas helps reconstruct a part of Viking history that is often overlooked, revealing their role as precursors in transatlantic exploration long before the era of official great discoveries.