The Minoans were the first to cross the Atlantic and set foot in the Americas—3,700 years before Christopher Columbus. At least, that’s the claim made by British author and former Royal Navy submarine commander Gavin Menzies in his forthcoming book.
This isn’t the first time Menzies has challenged Columbus’ status as the "discoverer" of the New World. In his bestselling book 1421: The Year China Discovered America, he argued that a Chinese eunuch admiral led a fleet to the Americas 71 years before Columbus. That book sold over a million copies in 130 countries.
The Author’s Arguments
Menzies makes several bold claims in support of his theory.
First, he argues that Minoan seafarers possessed both the technical ability and the maritime knowledge to make such a long transatlantic journey. Drawing from Minoan ship depictions in frescoes and the few surviving remains of the Uluburun shipwreck—discovered off the coast of Turkey and dated to 1305 BC—Menzies suggests that “the ships could sail with the wind and had lower sails that made them more manageable during storms.”
Second, he points to the transmission of a rare DNA gene from Minoans to certain Native American populations. These populations, located around Lake Superior near the Canadian border, also lived near rich copper deposits. Menzies notes that copper tools found there exhibit a high level of purity.
According to Menzies, scientific studies show that this copper closely matches the copper found in the Uluburun wreck. He argues that this proves Minoans transported it across the Atlantic.
Third, Menzies suggests that endemic plants from the Americas, found in Old World contexts, must have been transported by the Minoans. He cites the presence of traces of nicotine and maize—both unknown in the ancient Old World—in archaeological remains in Egypt. Since ancient Egyptians were not known as strong seafarers but had close trade relations with the more capable Minoans, he concludes that the Minoans must have brought these crops from America.
Pushback from the Academic Community
While Menzies’ literary agent is excited—remarking that “revisionist history sells extremely well”—many scholars have firmly rejected his conclusions.
“It’s theoretically possible the Minoans made it to America,” says John Bennet, a Minoan archaeology expert at the University of Sheffield. “But their ships were too small to carry sufficient supplies and cargo for such a long journey.”
Cemal Pulak, an associate professor at Texas A&M University who led excavations of the Uluburun shipwreck, similarly doubts that Minoan vessels could survive a transatlantic voyage. He adds that the copper found in the Uluburun wreck has been scientifically traced to Cyprus—not North America.
Moreover, archaeologists state there is no solid evidence of anyone exploiting the copper deposits near Lake Superior aside from Indigenous peoples.
Skepticism also came from Greece. Emeritus Professor of Prehistoric Archaeology at the University of Athens, Giorgos Korres, told TA NEA newspaper: “The Egyptians did make sea voyages, but to the south. Secondly, how could such small boats cross the Atlantic at night? They may have taken long trips, but they progressed gradually, stopping at bays, islands, and headlands—features abundant in the Aegean. And finally, how can we rule out the possibility that the Egyptians encountered tobacco or maize from southern peoples or through trade in the Near East?”
Supporters Still Exist
Despite the criticism, some experts support Menzies’ ideas. Among them is Carl Johannessen, emeritus professor at the University of Oregon, who states, “I’m convinced the Minoans were neither the first nor the only people to cross the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.”
Menzies’ theories remain controversial, but they continue to captivate the public imagination—blending seafaring legend, archaeological evidence, and the enduring mystery of who truly discovered the Americas first.
