Lamtuna

Lamtuna is the name of a people group mentioned in the accounts of Thor Heyerdahl's Ra expeditions. The Lamtuna are described as a light-skinned, North African population inhabiting the area near the Senegal River delta. Heyerdahl theorized that the ancient Lamtuna were skilled navigators and sailors, possibly having crossed the Atlantic Ocean in ancient times using papyrus boats. This theory was based on similarities he observed between ancient Egyptian and pre-Columbian American cultures, suggesting a possible trans-Atlantic connection.

The historical and archaeological evidence for the Lamtuna's seafaring capabilities and their role in transatlantic voyages remains debated. While Heyerdahl's expeditions demonstrated the technical feasibility of such voyages, mainstream scholarship has largely not embraced the idea of significant pre-Columbian contact between Africa and the Americas based solely on the Lamtuna. Further research is needed to fully understand the role, if any, that the Lamtuna people played in early maritime history and potential intercontinental cultural exchange.