Roman artifact discovered in the Americas shatters New World history as we know it
Daily Mail • • science
Key Points:
- Archaeologists discovered the Tecaxic-Calixtlahuaca Head, a Roman-style terracotta artifact dated to around 200 AD, inside a sealed pre-Hispanic burial in Mexico, predating European contact with the Americas.
- The burial dates to the late 15th century, shortly before Hernán Cortés's arrival, raising questions about how a Roman object ended up there and sparking debate over possible pre-Columbian transatlantic contact.
- Some experts propose theories including accidental drift of Roman or Mediterranean ships across the Atlantic or early European introduction during exploration, while others suspect archaeological hoax or later contamination.
- Critics argue that without additional Roman artifacts, settlements, or ship evidence in the Americas, claims of a Roman presence
