Acquired by Yale University and publicized to great fanfare in 1965, the Vinland Map—supposedly dated to mid-15th century Europe—showed part of the coast of North America, seemingly presenting ...

Image: Yale News The map, supposedly dating back to the 15th century, was a big deal because it added weight to the claim that Vikings landed in North America before Christopher Columbus.

The discovery suggested Norsemen were the first to reach North America, well ahead of Columbus. The authenticity of the map has been debated for decades. A new analysis concludes the map is a fraud.