Talk:American Ancient Cultures (Zera)

From Alternative History

Are the Appalachian camels just beasts of burden or can they be ridden? If they can be ridden then the reach of strong tribes would be greatly increased. The general “mixing” of cultures would also increase. If they can’t be ridden perhaps they could be used to pull wagons of chariots (assuming the wheel is known).

Also: are there any ideas, plants, or animals brought over from Africa when they still had contact?

Also, also: what mega fauna survives in this timeline?

Answers would effect any ancient civilizations.

When the original Appalachian Camel was tamed, 6000 BP, was only a burdern animal, able to support some 30 kg in their back. However, selecting breeding have given as result animals that could bear some 100 kg by 2000 BP. Evidence or riding come from 1600 BP.

The wheel was not known for practical use.

Some germs and vectors crossed from Africa to South America, including Malaria. Not sure about crops, but I don't think any domestic animal did. Neither am I sure about memes.

In Africa and Eurasia, humans and megafauna evolved much as OTL. In the Americas there are basically two differences: the Appalachian cammel and the pigmy horse. The Camel was used as burden anumal and the horse become herded.

— Carlos Th (talk) 15:21, 19 Jun 2005 (UTC)

So the Americans learn to ride a little bit before the Hittites(?) do. This give them all the time they need to make major changes to the content.

Camel tribes hunt bison on the Great Planes and pose a constant threat to agricultural communities around the Great Planes. Because of this threat, these agricultural communities do more civilization-type stuff -- build walls, organize militia, band together with other villages for defense etc. The camelmen also serve to mix up cultures around the continent so ideas in one area are quickly spread to other areas. --AirshipArmada 19:23, 23 Jun 2005 (UTC)

Well, 1600 BP (Before Present) would be 405 CE (405 AD)... by this time Hittites did not longer exist and the Romans, the Hunes, and many other peoples in Eurasia knew how to ride a horse.

Anyhow, by the time of the big contact, ca 1000 BP, camelmen run active commerce between the Great Lakes, the Appalachians, the Mississippi, Messoamerica, and a bit of North America's Pacific.

— Carlos Th (talk) 05:06, 24 Jun 2005 (UTC)

Opps. I was thinking BC not Before Present.

Is the "Big Contact" contact with Greenlanders? If so then it should run pretty much as OTL. The Greenlanders think the natives are to hostile for them to make a permanent settlement. --AirshipArmada 02:50, 27 Jun 2005 (UTC)

1050 BP (955 CE), Laurentian sailors meet Scandinavian ones in Iceland. Anyhow, I am using Laurentian and Scandinavian as geographical terms as these Scandinavians might be quite different than OTL Vikings. The point is that this contact is well documented (earlier trade between Africa and South America is not: evidence is only archeological), and soon (some 100 years) the news spread well enough (usual distortions added) to both European and North America mainlands, as well as trade routes and warfare were established short after between both continents. — Carlos Th (talk) 03:49, 28 Jun 2005 (UTC)