TPO 44 European silver coin

The reading and lecture both have conflicting views about European silver coins which was discovered at a Native American archaeological site in the state of Maine in the United States. The article strongly postulates that there are three main reasons of why some archaeologists believe that the coin is not historical evidence. On the other hand, the listening adamantly delineates that some archaeologists believe that there are some strong evidence that the coin brought to North America by the Norse who came into contact with Native Americans almost a thousand years ago.

First and foremost, according to the author excerpt, the Native American site in Maine where the coin was discovered is located far from other sites documenting a Norse presence in North America. Nonetheless, the professor offsets these points by declaring that there were many other objects found in North America besides the coin. As North Americans traveled to many different and interesting far away places. As a result, the coin that was found in North America may be brought by Native Americans themselves.

Secondly, the author contends that no other coins have been found at the Canadian sites and this suggests that the Norse did not bring any silver coins with them to North American settlements. Again, the speaker believes that there are some flaws in the writer's arguments. He explains that the Norse did not settle to North America and they may had been moved back to Europe. He elaborates this by mentioning that they might have packed up all their valuable belongings and things with them including coins and came to North America. Consequently, when they moved back to Europe, they might have taken back with them.

The article lastly points out that the Norse who traveled to North America would have known that silver coins would most likely be useless to them. The speaker in the listening counters these indications by insisting that the Norse knew that North Americans valued those unknown objects as those objects were very appealing and they really appreciated those because of their beauty. For example, they had used those objects in making necklace and other jewelries. Therefore, the Norse used to trade with them. Thus, these reasons proved that the coin was a historical evidence.