Several historians and researchers have claimed that radio carbon dating evidence, along with the discovery of ancient British style artifacts and inscriptions, have provided "the strongest indications yet" that British explorers, under the Prince Madoc ap Meurig, arrived in North America during the 6th Century and set up colonies in what is now the American Midwest. Alan Wilson and Baram Blackett of the Foundation for European American Heritage and James B. Michael of the Ancient Kentucke Historical Association recently made the announcement. Research team members have known the location of burial sites of Madoc's close relatives in Wales for some time. Many of the grave mounds found in the American south and midwest, including those at Bat Creek, Tennessee, are similarly ancient British in origin and design, Wilson said. Jim Michael added, "The stone tablet found at Bat Creek in 1889 included an inscription written in Coelbren, an ancient British alphabet known and recorded by historians and bards down the ages." Wilson said that his research had brought him into contact with very similar alphabet inscriptions in Britain, Europe, and the Middle East. "The components of the alphabet derive from the earliest days of the Khumric (Welsh) people," he added, "and were used along their migration routes to Wales in antiquity." Wilson's research partner, Baram A. Blackett, explained, "Once we discovered the cipher for the alphabet recorded in texts dating to the 1500s, we knew we were in business. We have translated many of these inscriptions, and they all make perfect sense." Jim Michael commented that the final translation for the Bat Creek tablet was an exciting business, "especially when we knew it read, 'Madoc the ruler he is'." Some historians have written off the evidence for Prince Madoc, the Welsh prince who sailed to America circa 562 AD. "They often give a false date of 1170, and this legend has replaced the facts," added Wilson. "At the moment, there is a small group of wreckers trying to steal our research and to promote this misdating. Luckily, we've done all the groundwork and have a substantial body of evidence in our favour." Wilson, Blackett, and Michael made the identification of the Bat Creek main tumulus as the likely tomb of Prince Madoc in January 1990. Michael has been in contact with the Smithsonian with a view to its allowing the bone fragments to be DNA tested. They also claim that there are numerous ancient British Coelbren inscriptions in the American midwest. Keep in mind that not all historians yet agree with Wilson, Blackett, and Michael. This ongoing story should be interesting to watch as it develops. You can read more about this at: http://www.kingarthur-online.co.uk The following article is from Eastmans Online Genealogy Newsletter and is copyright 2003 by Richard W. Eastman. It is re-published here with the permission of the author. Information about the newsletter is available at http://www.RootsForum.com. Sally Rolls Pavia Sun City, AZ [email protected] List Owner: [email protected] "Today is tomorrow's history." All incoming and outgoing email checked by Norton Anti-Virus 2002.