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"So they rema," said Pitt

"Into the Incas, were fair-skinned, with blue and green eyes The wohly prized by both the Incas and the Spanish They were also quite tall An Italian explorer found a skeleton in a Chachapoyan tomb that ell over two meters"

Pitt was intrigued "Close to seven feet?"

"Easily," Ortiz answered

"Any possibility they ht have been descendants of early explorers froht have sailed across the Atlantic, up the Amazon, and settled in the Andes?"

"Theories of early transoceanic ration to South America across both the Atlantic and the Pacific have always abounded," answered Ortiz "The fancy term for pre-Columbian travel to and fro concept, not well accepted but not entirely ignored either"

"Is there evidence?" asked Giordino

"Mostly circumstantial Ancient pottery found in Ecuador that has the sans as the Ainu culture of northern Japan The Spanish, as well as Colue ships off Venezuela The Portuguese found a tribe in Bolivia whose beards were nificent than the Europeans', contrary to the fact that most Indians lacked abundant facial hair Reports of -livers and fisher Roman or Grecian amphorae in the waters off Brazil come up routinely"

The giant stone heads from the Olmec culture of Mexico show definite features of black Africans,"

said Pitt, "while any nuhout the Mesoamerican cultures have Oriental characteristics"

Ortiz nodded in agreement "The serpent heads that decorate e of dragon heads carved in Japan and China"

"But is there hands-on proof?" asked Gunn

"No objects that can be conclusively proven as manufactured in Europe have yet to be found"

"The skeptics have a strong case in the lack of pottery lathes or wheeled vehicles," Gunn added

"True," agreed Ortiz "The Mayans did adopt the wheel for children's toys but never for practical use