Re: Kensington runestone in the Scandinavian press


"Alaca" <P.Alaca@xxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:42a6e65f$0$35615$dbd4d001@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> m_zalar@xxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
> 1118215592.216817.46120@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx,
>
>> Alaca wrote:
>>> Philip Deitiker wrote:
>>>> "m_zalar@xxxxxxxxxxx" says in
>
>>>>>
>>>>> Philip Deitiker wrote:
>>>>>> Who thinks Ohman carved the stone? For some strange reason you
>>>>>> guys seem to think that minnesota was at the south pole. The
>>>>>> fur trade in the region had proceeded for centuries prior to
>>>>>> the Ohman farm, there were oxcart and abandoned fort trails
>>>>>> within site distance of the hill.
>>>>>
>>>>> As a note, Ft Abercrombie (ND on the Red River) was built in
>>>>> 1858. Any trail there probably used the exsisting Red River Ox
>>>>> cart trails as a basis, which ran a few miles of the KRS site
>>>>> These trails began in the 1820s - anytime before that and there
>>>>> seem to have been no trail or even fur trade that reached into
>>>>> that area. The Ox Cart trails were used almost exclusively by
>>>>> Metis travelling between Winnipeg and the Mississippi river
>>>>> (primarily the Minneapolis/St Paul region). It is certainly
>>>>> possible that some Norseman travelled this route, but it seems
>>>>> highly unlikely (I have kept an eye out for any such report but
>>>>> have seen none). The Red River trails should not be considered
>>>>> some easy highway that anyone could travel at thier leisure -
>>>>> they were there for a certain specialized trade between two
>>>>> points, and not in frerquent use.
>>>>
>>>> But the Old Abercrombie trail would have been usable by anyone who
>>>> liesure or not, managed to carve a 200 lb stone, and how exactly did
>>>> he carry it. So basically some sort of cart is part of the equation.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> There is no direct reason to post it here and now,
>>> (apart from the talkabout trails), but some days ago
>>> I have composed a map of the surroundings of the
>>> KRS with shaded relief, which gives (I think) a good
>>> impression of the terrain.
>>> http://tinyurl.com/br5ev
>>> The findspot is in the centre of the map, between Eng Lake
>>> and Solem Lake, on the hillock South-West of the '15'.
>>> (For a broad view, try scale 1:500.000)
>>>
>>
>> Yes, the road that goes by Solem Lake is a good pointer. It ends at
>> Co Rd 15 - if you continue west, you will go down the hill on which
>> Flatten's farm is located and then up the Runestone hill (sort of a
>> reversed L shape). Northwest of this locaction, beyond the ridge is
>> where Ohman's farmhouse is located. Another farmhouse was located on
>> the hill to the south of Runestone hill, and to the north of Co Rd
>> 183.
>>
>>> In the light of the story on the stone,
>>> it is not the most obvious place.
>>
>> It was on my first vist to the hill where I first began to think the
>> runestone story might be true. I had done a number of military
>> history papers (primarily on fortifications) during my college years.
>> This was a nearly perfect natural defensive position, and reminded me
>> of an overlarge motte (as in the motte and baily type of castle).
>> There are several distinct advantages of the location which a band in
>> hostile territory would find advantageous. The hill is steep sided,
>> providing a strong postion in case of attack; it is surrounded (or
>> nearly surrounded) by water, making a direct assault difficult; and it
>> has unobstructed lines of sight in all directions so that surprise
>> attack would be impossible. In short a group under the conditions
>> given on the stone, would have found this location irresistible for
>> setting up a campsite.
>
> Yes, as a strongpoint it seems not bad, but IMO it is
> not an obvious place to leave a message (if that was
> the character of the KRS)
>
>>> BTW. I think it is a strange aspect of the story
>>> that they were traveling south, away from their ship.
>
>> Let me suggest a scenario. The group believes they are in Asia,
>> somewhere near Cathay (as is suggested in the Mercator/Dee letter).
>
> Where is that suggestion?
>
> Inger thinks they were tax-collectors with a clear destination.
>
>> They have followed the Red River inland to the first set of
>> waterfalls, near what is now Fergus Falls, MN, camping on the south
>> side of the River where the 10 men were attacked and the boats stolen
>> or destroyed.
>> Coming back the rest of the men find signs that the
>> attackers crossed to the north side of the river.
>> The band sets out in a southerly direction, following the treeline
>> between forest and prairie, which as best I have been able to
>> determine runs roughly from Fergus Falls to the Kensington area.
>
>> They discover the defensible hill, and set up camp for a few days
>> before determining their best course of action (which I think may
>> have been to set out west, crossing through Asia to reach Russia and
>> eventually Scandinavia).
>
> Walking?

Remember, they were being stalked by enemies. That's a strangely holistic
interpretation when you factor Inger into it.

Dyl.


.

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