This document discusses the overseas diffusion of plants and animals before 1492. It provides evidence from sculptures and depictions in art from locations like India and Mexico that maize, sunflowers, peanuts, and other crops originated in the Americas but were grown and depicted in other parts of the world prior to European contact. The document also discusses unintentional transfers of organisms like rats, cats, and grain pests between continents in ancient times. It concludes by encouraging further research on this topic by students.

1. Overseas Plant and Animal Diffusion Before 1492 By Carl L. Johannessen Professor Emeritus, Biogeographer

2. World Map

3. India Detail Karnataka Pradesh

4. Letters From Ohio Agricultural Research and Developmental Center, Wooster Ohio

5. Letters from Wooster, Ohio

6. Corn, Sunflowers, Peanuts, and Annona

7. Temple Layout, Somnathpur, India

8. Halebid Temple, India

9. Variation in Shape of Corn Ears, Peru for comparison to India

10. Variation in the Shape of Corn Ears, China

11. Indian Sculpture of Corn

14. Maize Ears Sculpture and Hand Mudra Somnathpur Temple, India

17. Maize God, Mexico Note Curls on Headdress of Maize

18. Spiral Kernel Seeds Kedareshvara, Halebid, India

19. Sharp Kernelled Maize Ears, “Dog-Toothed”

20. Sculpture of Chihuahua with Maize Ear,Colima, Mexico

21. Tessellated Base Kernels Somnathpur

22. ANATOMICAL VARIATIONS OF MAIZE SHOWN IN INDIAN 20 TEMPLE SCULPTURES Traits Sculpture Numbers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 1 X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 2a X X X X X X X X X X X X X 2b X X X X X X 3a X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 3b X 3c X X X 4 X X X X X X X X 5 X X X X X X X X X X X X 6 X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 7 X 8 X 10 X 11 X X X 12 X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 14a X 14b X 14c X 16 X X 18a X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 18b X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 18c X X X X X X X X X X X X X 18d X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 19 X X X X 20 1.1 1.1-1.2 1.3-1.6 1.1 1.1-1.2 1.0-1.5 1.2 1.1 1.0 1.2 1.1 1.2-1.4 1.3 1.1 1.3 1.0 21a X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 21b X X X X X X X 23 X 26 X 27 X 28 X

24. Corn Maidens

25. Sunflowers Oriented Toward Sun

26. Nandi Seen From Inside Halebid Temple

27. Sunflower Sculpture Below Nandi’s Horn with sunflower as if at Dawn, Halebid Temple

28. Sunflower above Ear of Nandi (detail)

29. Sunflower under Nandi’s Tail used as a calendar, Halebid Temple

30. Nandi at Amruthteshvara with Sunflower Below Horn

31. Sunflower at Foot of Corn Maiden

32. Sunflower under Skirt of Corn Maiden (detail)

33. Long-tailed Indian Parrot on Sunflower, Pattadakal, India

34. Lotus Flower

35. Lotus Flowers in Rajasthan Temple, Representation of the Heart Chakra

36. Lotus Flower Seed Pods, at Center

37. Modern Primitive Peanut, Southern China

38. Annona in Hindu and Buddhist Art, (note Cashew on Stupa Art as well)

39. Annona Sculpture, Ahole, India

40. Other Evidence

41. Mexican Prickle Poppy (Medicine)

42. Datura (Medicinal)

44. Grain Amaranth

45. Marigold and Bixa Tree

46. Entire Corn and Chili Plants Note Ears on middle stem (top plate) and Chili Peppers (bottom plate), Java, Indonesia

49. Unintentional Transfers Rat and its Fleas

50. Conclusion

53. The End