Editing Pre-Columbian transoceanic contact theories (section)

== Claims of Indian contact ==
[[File:Sculptures at the Chennakesava Temple, Somanathapura, Mysuru, Karnataka, India (2002)0821.jpg|thumb|upright|The [[Chennakesava Temple, Somanathapura|Somnathpur]] figures at the sides hold maize-like objects in their left hands]]
In 1879, [[Alexander Cunningham]] wrote a description of the carvings on the [[Stupa]] of [[Bharhut]] in central India, dating from c. 200 BCE, among which he noted what appeared to be a depiction of a custard-apple (''[[Annona squamosa]]'').<ref>{{cite book|title = The Stupa of Bharhut| author=Cunningham, Alexander| year=1879| publisher=W.H.Allen| place=London|url=https://archive.org/stream/stpabharhutabud00offigoog#page/n58/mode/2up/| page=47}}</ref> Cunningham was not initially aware that this plant, indigenous to the New World tropics, was introduced to India after [[Vasco da Gama]]'s discovery of the sea route in 1498, and the problem was pointed out to him. A 2009 study claimed to have found carbonized remains that date to 2000 BCE and appear to be those of custard-apple seeds.<ref>{{cite journal| journal=Radiocarbon| volume=51| issue=3| year=2009| pages=923–930| title=Possible evidence of pre-Columbian transoceanic voyages based on conventional LSC and AMS 14C dating of associated charcoal and a carbonized seed of custard apple (''Annona squamosa'' L.)| author1=Pokharia, Anil Kumar | author2=Sekar, B. | author3= Pal, Jagannath| author4= Srivastava, Alka| doi=10.1017/S0033822200033993| doi-access=free| bibcode=2009Radcb..51..923K}}</ref>

[[File:Smith Copan elephant.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Copán stela B was claimed by Smith as representing elephants]]
[[Grafton Elliot Smith]] claimed that certain motifs present in the carvings on the Mayan stelae at [[Copán]] represented the [[Asian elephant]], and wrote a book on the topic entitled ''Elephants and Ethnologists'' in 1924. Contemporary archaeologists suggested that the depictions were almost certainly based on the (indigenous) [[Baird's tapir|tapir]], with the result that Smith's suggestions have generally been dismissed by subsequent research.<ref>{{cite journal|title= Elephants and Maya Art|author=Yetts, W. Perceval| journal=The Burlington Magazine for Connoisseurs| volume= 45| issue= 261| year= 1924| pages=262–265, 268–269| jstor=862358 }}</ref>

Some objects depicted in carvings from [[Karnataka]], dating from the 12th century, that resemble ears of maize (''[[Zea mays]]''—a crop native to the New World), were interpreted by Carl Johannessen in 1989 as evidence of pre-Columbian contact.<ref>{{cite journal|journal=Economic Botany| year= 1989| volume=43| issue=2| pages= 164–180| title= Maize ears sculptured in 12th and 13th century A.D. India as indicators of pre-columbian diffusion| author1=Johannessen, Carl L. | author2=Parker, Anne Z.| doi=10.1007/bf02859857| bibcode= 1989EcBot..43..164J| s2cid= 27633077}}</ref> These suggestions were dismissed by multiple Indian researchers based on several lines of evidence. The object has been claimed by some to instead represent a "Muktaphala", an imaginary fruit bedecked with pearls.<ref>{{cite journal| journal=Economic Botany| year=1993| volume=47| issue=2| pages=202–205 | title= Maize ears not sculpted in 13th century Somnathpur temple in India| author1=Payak, M.M.| author2=Sachan, J.K.S| doi=10.1007/BF02862023| bibcode=1993EcBot..47..202P| s2cid=21225997}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal| author1=Veena, T.| author2=Sigamani, N.| title=Do objects in friezes of Somnathpur temple (1286 AD) in South India represent maize ears?| pages=395–397| journal=Current Science| volume=61| issue=6| year=1991|url=http://www.currentscience.ac.in/Downloads/article_id_061_06_0395_0397_0.pdf}}</ref>