For several decades, a document has been stored at Yale University of Yale supposedly pre -column times, which depicted the outlines of the American continent. Recently, researchers have checked the authenticity of this card.

The Winland card is a small manuscript dating from the 15th century. Unlike other pre -column cards, it depicts not only Eurasia and Africa, but also the outlines of Greenland and North America. The document was the first time It is known In 1957, when the book merchant Irving Davis proposed it first to the British Museum, and then to the American Lawses Witten. A few years later, Paul Mellon acquired and donated to Yale University, and in 1965 the public was presented with a potentially the oldest map with the outlines of the American continent.

Unique find pretty fast attracted Attention from skeptics. The authenticity of the document was called into question due to the incredible geographical accuracy for that time and other less significant details. In 1973, the researchers in Chicago proved that ink used to create a card contain anatase-the connection of titanium, which began to be used commercially only in the 1920s. In 2004, Danish scientists worked with the card, who analyzed the properties of parchment and also came to the conclusion that the document appeared relatively recently.

September 1, 2021 Yale University declared The fact that his experts completed the most detailed and long -term examination of the Winland card. The team of researchers also focused on ink used to create a document. With the help of radiofluorescent spectroscopy, they scanned the map and compiled a diagram of its elements. According to experts, medieval scribes used iron -based ink. X -ray -fluorescence analysis showed the meager presence on the map of this metal, but a small barium was found on the manuscript. This is another argument in support of the fact that when creating a document, ink was used no older than the 1920s-at that time, the titanium-based colors also contained a barium sulfate. This conclusion was confirmed using electron microscopy - anatase particles on the map are very similar to the pigment, which they began to be produced in Norway in 1923.

The results of X -ray -fluorescent spectroscopy showed the presence of titanium on all lines and text of the map. Previous studies showed titanium only at certain points on the map

For comparison, scientists studied ink in 50 manuscript texts from the Bainek library collection at Yale University. Researchers selected documents created at the same time when, as claimed, a Vinland map appeared. It turned out that in these manuscripts, ink contain much less titanium and much more iron.

Researchers promised in the future to present the results of their work in scientific articles. At the same time, they plan to leave the Winland card in the collection of the Beineke library. “It has already become a historical object. This is a great example of a fake that had an international influence, ”said Raymond Clemens, Keeper of the Yale Library.