The Newport Tower in Rhode Island has been used in the past by various alternative history writers as evidence of Pre-Columbian contact. This practice continues today and can be seen in Gavin Menzies’ book 1421 where he claims the tower was constructed by the Chinese.

The “evidence” that these writers cite for a construction by someone other than the early European settlers of Newport is the Plowden Petition. In this article Doug Weller examines the Plowden Petition and find that such claims are flawed.

Our thanks to the Skeptical Intelligencer for allowing us to republish this article, and to Doug Weller.

The Newport Tower and the Plowden Petition


Kat

Ma'at Moderator

Founder and Director of The Hall of Ma'at

Contributing author to Archaeological Fantasies:
How pseudoarchaeology misrepresents the past and misleads the public
"If you panic, you're lost" -- W. T. 'Watertight' Southard