Re: The Vinland Map's Ink

>The
>British Museum (in 1967) didn't know anything about the ink on the
>Map...certainly not that it contained modern anatase...and yet they
did
>not recognize it as belonging to any of the many inks with which they
>were familiar. They saw it as very unusual. Remember, they had one of
>the world's largest collections of medieval documents with which to
>compare. Others, since then, have not come up with something
comparable
>either. If we (or they) were to know everything possible that one
could
>know about the ink, do you think that this would have changed their
>assessment of it? You bet! If they knew then what we know now it would

>have surely confirmed their assessment, in spades. You must agree that

>it is a very strange mixture...one layer of yellow-brown material
>overlain by a black carbon-based material that flakes off. None of the

>expected iron-gall ink anywhere.

>I'm puzzled. Apart from playing the Devil's Advocate, why do you
insist
>on knowing absolutely everything about the ink before drawing a
>conclusion...even a tentative one?

Its just that I would like to know more about it to understand it
better.

>The odds, therefore, are not good in your
>favor. I admire your skepticism, ...

It's not skepticism, but caution, which motivates me.

All of us would like to know more, of course. Given your exceptionally
cautious stance about a forgery, but applying what you DO know (your
current understanding of the ink), what specific evidence leads you to
believe that the Vinland Map might be authentic? Is it just the
possibility raised by Jim Enterline which started this thread? Or is
there some other thing? This would help me to see more clearly where
you are coming from.

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: The Vinland Maps Ink
    ... >>know about the ink, do you think that this would have changed their ... >>have surely confirmed their assessment, ... >It's not skepticism, but caution, which motivates me. ... >>cautious stance about a forgery, but applying what you DO know (your ...
    (sci.archaeology)
  • Re: The Vinland Maps Ink
    ... ink on the ... > compare. ... I admire your skepticism, but at some point you will ... > 'facts' spewed out by the others) and on logic (and not the ...
    (sci.archaeology)