Guanabara Bay Evidence: Did the Romans Reach the New World Before Columbus?

There are many pieces of historical evidence that have a special place in every person’s memory. Christopher Columbus and his earliest exploits are some of the notable adventures which have been etched in our minds. However, a discovery made in 1982 in Brazil appears to paint a completely different story. After all, one of the most famous explorers in history might not have been quite the early bird we thought he was. The discovery of ancient Roman ruins in Guanabara Bay, situated roughly around 15 miles from the coast of Rio de Janeiro, creates a bit of a puzzle.

The discovery of the ancient Roman artifacts comes in the form of a large collection of amphorae. Amphorae are tall jars and were frequently carried in Roman ships around the second century BC. The archaeologist Robert Marx discovered the ruins, adding another laurel to his long list of achievements in unearthing treasures from the depths of the seas. 

Pedro Alvares Cabral (George Mathias Heaton (1804 – after 1855) and Eduard Rensburg (1817–1898) / Public Domain)