Posted by Adam Quinan on November 15, 2004 at 12:29:15 from 65.48.152.132 user Adam.
In Reply to: Re: posted by RichardG on November 12, 2004 at 16:31:43:
I read Farley Mowat's book (called the Farfarers in Canada). It is a mixture of archaelogical and historical evidence and imaginative fictional reconstructions of the theory he propounds.
Basically the original inhabitants of the British Isles were called Albans, Scotland is still often called Alba and Albion is used by some. He suggests that they were gradually moved north and earned their kjeeep by heading out to Greenland and Iceland to hunt for sea mammals and birds which they then traded into the Roman empire.
They could have been the "real" origin of the mysterious disappearing Picts of P&M. The historical Picts, Mowat believes, were a later set of migrants whose fate is quite well understood.
With the coming of the Vikings to the Northern Isles of Orkney and Shetland, the Albans who had already setled the Faeroes, Iceland and Greenland then moved out west. Mowat considers that this explains many later anomalies such as the Vikings settling on the west end of Iceland instead of the closer south eastern corner and references to the Westmen (Irish or other non-Vikings who already lived in Iceland). As the Vikings also spread west, the Albans moved ahead of them and Mowat believes they made up a mixed native and immigrant culture in Labrador, Newfoundland and Ungava in Northern Quebec. This accounts for reports of apparently Christian style processions and the use of the cross in native ceremonies reported by the earliest historical visitors.
It is a fascinating story and well written as many of Mowat's books are. However, Mowat does have a certain tendency to extrapolate a bit far and to "improve" the facts.
I wonder whether any other, perhaps more scientific, archaeologist has investigated this idea. Professor Callum perhaps, though after the sands of Egypt northern Labrador would be a bit chilly!