Earliest Arab Immigration

Theories of pre-Columbus Arab arrival to the Americas state that medieval Arab explorers (from Spain and Africa) may have reached the Americas (and possibly made contact with the indigenous peoples of the Americas) at some point before Christopher Columbus' first voyage to the Americas in 1492. Proponents of these theories use as evidence, reports of expeditions and voyages conducted by Arab navigators and adventurers who allegedly reached the Americas from the late 9th century onwards. However, these theories are generally not credited by mainstream historians.

Numerous evidence suggests that Arabs from Spain and West Africa arrived to the Americas at least five centuries before Columbus.

Arab sailors in the 10th century sailed westward from the Spanish port of Delba (Palos) into the (Ocean of Darkness and Fog). They returned after a long absence with fabulous treasures from a (strange and curious land) or (unknown territory).

In al-Mas'udi's map of the world (between 896-956), there is a large area in the ocean, southwest of Africa, which he referred to as "Ard Majhoola" (Arabic for "the unknown territory"). Some have alleged that "Ard Majhoola" may be a reference to the Americas.

Al Masudi Map of the World

It is believed that Christopher Columbus was able to voyage across the Atlantic using previous Arab's geographical and navigational information, and he had two Arab captains with him in his voyage.

It is also claimed that Columbus was told by the natives of Hispaniola (in the New World) that black-skinned people visited them before the Europeans. Columbus acquired metal spearheads left behind by these black strangers. In Spain they were inspected and were found to be of similar composition to metals forged in Guinea, West Africa.

The resemblance between the Ziggurats pyramids of the Mesopotamians and the Sumerians, the Egyptian pyramids and the Mayan, Aztecs and Incas' temples that existed in the New World, had fueled the speculations that either the Egyptians or the Mesopotamian had traveled to the Americas or that these civilizations came from a common source.

Ziggurats pyramids in Iraq

 


Pyramid of Sakkarah in Egypt

 


Mayan pyramid in Mexico

 

Aztec Pyramid in Central Mexico