1421 Foundation

This month, we’re celebrating a true historical detective: Director of the 1421 Foundation and Gavin Menzies Research Foundation, whose work challenges the conventional story of global exploration. From ancient maps to modern documentaries, his journey is anything but ordinary and here's what he had to say... 

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So, what exactly do you do?
Officially I’m the Director of both the Gavin Menzies Research Foundation (UK) and the 1421 Foundation (USA). Unofficially, I’m part-time detective, part-time treasure-hunter, and full-time email archaeologist. My work involves piecing together evidence which shows that early maritime civilisations travelled the oceans for millennia before the famed European “Voyages of Discovery”. For example, I’ve carried out a great deal of research into the voyages of the Great Ming Admiral, Zheng He, and whether his mighty armada of 800 ships was able to map the world before Columbus set sail. See here for my most recent interview.

Who are your founders and what is the origin story of the company?
“Our founder was Gavin Menzies, a retired nuclear submarine captain who mapped and charted the world in the wake of the great explorers, on and under the sea. The origin story is basically: he retired from the Navy, looked at some old maps, noticed that the whole world had been mapped before Europeans set out to discover the world, and said ‘hang on a minute, those look suspiciously Chinese.’ Fast forward 24 years and here I am, still getting funny looks from traditional historians but seeing incredible pieces of evidence that point to a much deeper and richer history of global discovery.”

Do you have a claim to fame moment, a proudest moment or time you made it into the news?
“A personal highlight was being on a CCTV documentary about Zheng He, which you can view here. It was watched by over 256 million people! I’ve also been lucky enough to give talks on the subject at numerous prestigious institutions such as Oxford University, Yunnan University and the London School of Economics and Political Sciences.

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced as a company?
“Convincing people that the history of exploration didn’t start with Columbus. That, and trying to get academics, archaeologists, geographers, and computer scientists to agree on anything. It’s like herding cats - except the cats all have PhDs and passive-aggressive email signatures.”

Do you have a favourite spot in Clerkenwell for lunch or drinks after work?
I love going to Morito on Exmouth Market. Having spent many amazing months in Spain, Morito is my “happy place” where I can sit, eat a slice of tortilla, some jamon, drink a nice cold beer, and pretend I am on holiday for 30 minutes!

If you are interested, to learn more, you can read Ian’s latest newsletter by clicking here.

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