Pre-Columbian contact theory

Pre-Columbian contact theory proposes that peoples from other continents, such as Asians, Europeans, or Africans, reached the Americas before Christopher Columbus's arrival in 1492. Supporters suggest evidence like similarities in ancient artifacts, technologies, and genetics that may indicate early interactions across oceans. While mainstream archaeology generally attributes these connections to independent development, some researchers explore whether early trans-oceanic voyages led to cultural exchanges that influenced indigenous societies in the Americas prior to European contact.