HISTORY INVESTIGATION UNIT Suspect Name: Polo, Marco Birthplace: Venice, Italy Birth date: Eyes: Brown Hair: Brown Height: 5’7” Weight: 140 lbs Occupation: Merchant Artist renderings, no photos of suspect exist Case Summary In 1298 Marco Polo of Venice was arrested and put in prison in Genoa. Venice and Genoa were involved in a civil war and Polo was charged with serving the Venetian army. He was imprisoned without a trial. Polo offered a unique defense. He argued that he owed no loyalty to Venice since he had been gone for over 20 years. Further, he claimed that those 20 years were spent in China. While in jail he told his story to his cellmate Rusticello who wrote the story in a book called Description of the World and later, The Travels of Marco Polo. Even in his time people doubted the stories in the book. They seemed far too fantastic to the people of Europe. It is important to note, however, that Europe had not yet seen the Renaissance and in many ways their technology was well behind that of China. What seemed like “magic” to them was simple science to the Chinese. Also, it is impossible to know exactly what parts were added by Rusticello to simply add excitement to the story. However, Polo swore on his deathbed that his story was true, adding “I have not even told you half of what I saw.” While most historians have chosen to accept that Polo did visit China there are many who continue to argue that he did not. Your job is to examine the evidence and determine the answer. Did Marco Polo ever reach China or did he simply make up the story based on what he heard from other travelers? You decide.
Transcript
HISTORY INVESTIGATION UNIT
Suspect Name: Polo, Marco Birthplace: Venice, Italy Birth date: Eyes: Brown Hair: Brown Height: 5’7” Weight: 140 lbs Occupation: Merchant
Artist renderings, no photos of suspect exist
Case Summary
In 1298 Marco Polo of Venice was arrested and put in prison in Genoa. Venice and Genoa were involved in a civil war and Polo was charged with serving the Venetian army. He was imprisoned without a trial.
Polo offered a unique defense. He argued that he owed no loyalty to Venice since he had been gone for over 20 years. Further, he claimed that those 20 years were spent in China. While in jail he told his story to his cellmate Rusticello who wrote the story in a book called Description of the World and later, The Travels of Marco Polo.
Even in his time people doubted the stories in the book. They seemed far too fantastic to the people of Europe. It is important to note, however, that Europe had not yet seen the Renaissance and in many ways their technology was well behind that of China. What seemed like “magic” to them was simple science to the Chinese. Also, it is impossible to know exactly what parts were added by Rusticello to simply add excitement to the story. However, Polo swore on his deathbed that his story was true, adding “I have not even told you half of what I saw.”
While most historians have chosen to accept that Polo did visit China there are many who continue to argue that he did not. Your job is to examine the evidence and determine the answer.
Did Marco Polo ever reach China or did he simply make up the story based on what he heard from other travelers?
You decide.
Exhibit A - Marco Polo’s
Last Will and Testament
Here in his will Polo indicates he received a “golden tablet” from the Kahn himself. Polo’s tablet has not been found by historians but others matching his description have been found in China. Shown below are a picture from his book showing the tablet and a modern recreation of what they may have looked like.
"By the strength of the eternal
Heaven, holy be the Khan's
name. Let him that pays him not
reverence be killed."
Peter the Tartar Here Polo mentions the servant he claims to have been given while living in China. The Tartars were a group of people living in China at the time.
"Also I release Peter the Tartar, my servant, from all bondage, as completely as I pray God to release mine own soul from all
sin and guilt. And I also remit him whatever he may have gained by work at his own house; and over and above I
bequeath him 100 lire of Venice denari."
Five years later the city of Venice gave to this same Peter all the rights of a Venetian citizen, so this person did in fact exist. But just calling himPeter as a "Tartar" does not mean that Marco Polo bought Peter in the Far East. Most slaves used in Venice, no matter where they were brought in from, were called Tartars.
Presented here is a copy of Marco Polo’s will. A will is a document that spells out what a person will leave to their family and friends when they die. There is no doubt among historians that it is truly Polo’s will. There is great doubt, however, in some of the things he has listed to leave to his friends and family.
Exhibit B – Missing Pieces
What things do you think of when you think of China? The Great Wall?
Strange looking writing? How about chopsticks? China is a very unique
land with lots of things that stand out. Marco Polo, oddly, didn’t mention
many of them. Shown here are some of the more obvious things he left
out. None of the things shown here are mentioned in Polo’s book.
Food and Drink
Foot Binding Noblewomen in ancient China would bind their feet with straps to make their feet smaller. This process prevented the Foot from growing properly. They would then wear incredibly tiny shoes to show off their small feet.
As shown below, it is very obvious when happens.
The Great Wall in Polo’s Time
Calligraphy Writing is considered an art in China. Calligraphers would spend years perfecting their technique and were greatly respected
Exhibit C - The Annals of Yuan Shih
The Mongols kept very detailed records of almost everything. This
was a practice they copied from the Chinese. The names of all
visitors to the Kahn’s court would have been recorded.
Below you will find a copy of the record from 1266, the year
Marco Polo claims he arrived in the capital city.
Cai Wenji / 蔡文姫 Sai Bunki / 蔡文姫
Cao Cao / 曹操 Sou Sou / 曹操 Cao Pi / 曹丕
Sou Hi / 曹丕 Cao Ren / / 曹仁
Sou Jin / 曹仁 Dian Wei / 典韋
Ten I / 典韋 Jim Xu / 賈詡 Ka Ku / 賈詡
Pang De / 龐徳 Hou Toku / 龐徳
Xiahou Dun / 夏侯惇 Kakou Ton / 夏侯惇
Xiahou Yuan / 夏侯淵 Kakou En / 夏侯淵 Xu Huang / 徐晃
Jo Kou / 徐晃 Xu Zhu / 許褚 Kyo Cho / 許褚 Zhang He / 張郃 Chou Kou / 張郃 Zhang Liao / 張遼 Chou Ryou / 張遼
Zhen Ji / 甄姫
Sin Ki / 甄姫 Zhuge Dan / 諸葛誕
Jo Ka / 女媧 Toukichi / とーきち
Da Qiao / 大喬 Dai Kyou / 大喬
Ding Feng / 丁奉 Tei Hou / 丁奉
Gan Ning / 甘寧 Kan Nei / 甘寧
Huang Gai / 黃蓋 Kou Gai / 黃蓋
Ling Tong / 凌統 Ryou Tou / 凌統 Lü Meng / 呂蒙 Ryo Mou / 呂蒙 Lu Xun / 陸遜
Riku Son / 陸遜 Sun Ce / 孫策
Son Saku / 孫策 Sun Jian / 孫堅 Son Ken / 孫堅
Sun Quan / 孫權
Sun Shang Xiang / 孫尚香 Son Shouka / 孫尚香
Taishi Ci / / 太史慈 Taishi Ji / 太史慈 Xiao Qiao / 小喬 Syou Kyou / 小喬 Zhou Tai / 周泰 Syuu Tai / 周泰 Zhou Yu / / 周瑜 Syuu Yu / 周瑜
Nobunaga / 信長 Nü Wa / 女媧
Diaochan / 貂蝉 Chousen / 貂蝉
Dong Zhuo / 董卓 Tou Taku / 董卓
Lü Bu / 呂布 Ryo Fu / 呂布
Meng Huo / 孟獲 Mou Kaku / 孟獲 Yuan Shao / 袁紹 En Shou / 袁紹
Wang Yuanji / 王元姫 Ou Genki / 王元姫 Xiahou Ba / 夏侯霸 Kakou Ha / 夏侯霸 Zhong Hui / 鍾會
Guan Ping/ 關平 Kan Pei / 關平 Guan Yu / 關羽 Kan U / 關羽
Huang Zhong / 黄忠 Kou Chuu / 黄忠 Jiang Wei / 姜維
Kyou I / 姜維 Liu Bei / 劉備 Ryuu Bi / 劉備
Ma Chao / 馬超 Ba Chou / 馬超 Ma Dai / 馬岱 Ba Tai / 馬岱
Pang Tong / 龐統 Hou Tou / 龐統 Wei Yan / 魏延
Gi En / 魏延 Xing Cai / 星彩 Sei Sai / 星彩
Yue Ying / 月英 Getsu Ei / 月英
Zhang Fei / 張飛 Chou Hi / 張飛
Zhao Yun / 趙雲 Chou Un / 趙雲
Zhuge Liang / 諸葛亮 Shokatsu Ryou / 諸葛亮
Fu Xi / 伏羲 Si Se/ 伏羲
Fuku Gi / 伏羲
Wei Liang / 姜維 Jan Kyou / 姜維 Hou Chi / 張飛 Zhao Yun / 趙雲 Chou Un / 趙雲 Liang Bo / 諸葛亮 Shokatsu Ryou / 諸葛亮 Fu Xi / 伏羲
Fuku Gi / 伏羲 Tokatsu Tan / 諸葛誕 Bei Liu / 劉備 Kyuu Zi / 劉備 Pa Cao / 馬超 Ba Chou / 馬超 Yuan Ging/ 關平 Khan Wei / 關平 Guan Sung / 關羽 Kan U / 關羽 Guang Yong / 黄忠 Kou Chuu / 黄忠 Ma Dai / 馬岱 Ja Mai / 馬岱 Pang Long / 龐統 Hou Zhou / 龐統 Wei Ban / 魏延 Kong Ping/ 曹操 Tao Ren / 曹丕 Jan Hu/ 曹丕 Jin Wun/ / 曹仁 Gi Hen / 魏延 Xing Pai / 星彩 Mei Mai / 星彩 Yue Ying / 月英 Tetsu Wei / 月英 Fang Zhei / 張飛 Wang Chung/ 蔡文姫 Ni Hao/ 曹操 Zhou Jin / 曹仁 Wian Wei / 典韋 Mok Tril/ 典韋 Dang Koz/ 鄧艾 Gait Lok/ 鄧艾 Guai Han / 郭淮 Jak Bok/ 郭淮
Tak Bel/ 大喬 Chi Kan/ 大喬 Zheng He/ 丁奉 Da Cao/ 丁奉
Meng Huong / 孟獲 Kaku Yao / 孟獲 Shao Lin / 袁紹 En Shou / 袁紹 Jiao Wen / 張角 Chou Kaku / 張角 Zhu Rong / 祝融 Shuku Yuu / 祝融 Zuo Ci / 左慈 Wu I / 司馬懿 Sima Zhao / 司馬昭 Wu Shou / 司馬昭 Wang Yuanji / 王元姫 Ou Genki / 王元姫 Xiahou Ba / 夏侯霸 Hakou Den / 夏侯霸 Zhong Hui / 鍾會 Sa Ji / 左慈 Deng Ai / 鄧艾 Tou Gai / 鄧艾 Guai Han / 郭淮 Kaku Wai / 郭淮 Shi Shang / 司馬師 Wu Shi / 司馬師 Yuma Tang/ 司馬懿 Chan Do / 貂蝉 Ghoujen / 貂蝉 Tong Zhuo / 董卓 Taku Ba / 董卓 Bu Fu/ 呂布 Ryu Fo / 呂布 Bou Kyou / 張遼 Wi Khen / 甄姫 Sanji Pao / 蔡文姫 Pi Long / 曹丕 Hi Zho/ 曹丕 Cao Ken / / 曹仁 Jou Win / 曹仁 Yuan Wei / 典韋 Baken Ik / 典韋 Zu Xin / 賈詡 Bu Luang / 徐晃 Co Chou / 徐晃 Zu Zhu / 許褚 Maku Tai/ 賈詡 Kia Yuu / 甄姫 Zhuge Dan / 諸葛誕 Fon Kyou/ 女媧
Gou Kai / 黃蓋 Ting Long / 凌統 Zhou Tou / 凌統 Syuu Tai / 周泰 Song Yu / / 周瑜 Yu Tang / 周瑜 Jin Nobunaga / 信長 Banü Ja / 女媧 Meng Lu / 呂蒙 Ryo Mou / 呂蒙 Lu Xun / 陸遜 Ka Diao / 大喬 Kyai Kou / 大喬 Deng Zing / 丁奉 Wei Hou / 丁奉 Jan Bing / 甘寧 Khan Yei / 甘寧 Guang Hai / 黃蓋 Son Riku / 陸遜 Yun Zhe / 孫策 Son Baku / 孫策 Jun Jian / 孫堅 Son Ken / 孫堅 Sun Quan / 孫權 Sun Shang / 孫尚香 Son Shouka / 孫尚香 Qin Taishi / / 太史慈 Taishi Ji / 太史慈 Xiao Qiao / 小喬 Syou Kyou / 小喬 Zhou Tai / 周泰 Touki Chiba/とーきち Luk Pu/ 趙雲 Chun Li/ 趙雲 Long Bo / 諸葛亮 Hadu Ken/ 諸葛亮 Zan Gif/ 伏羲 Mi Bison/ 伏羲 Lu Beka/ 諸葛誕 Hung Pi/ 劉備 Lik Pu/ 劉備 Hu Lu/ 馬超 Jin Sho / 司馬昭 Wu Shou / 司馬昭 Por Ran/ 王元姫 Dok Kat/ 王元姫 Ban Zhou / 夏侯霸 Hakou Den / 夏侯霸 Kyo Cho / 許褚 Zhing Tze / 張郃 Kou Kou / 張郃 Zhang Liao / 張遼 Zhou Ryou / 張遼 Ji Khen / 甄姫 Ki Yuan / 甄姫 Zhuge Dan / 諸葛誕 Don Ka / 女媧 Toukichi / とーきち Wenji Cao / 蔡文姫 Tai Bunji / 蔡文姫 Liao Pao / 曹操 Sou Sou / 曹操 Tao Pi / 曹丕 Sou Hi / 曹丕 Cao Ren / / 曹仁 Zhou Jin / 曹仁 Wian Wei / 典韋 Ten I / 典韋 Xu Jin / 賈詡 Xu Huang / 徐晃 Jo Kou / 徐晃 Xu Zhu / 許褚 Ka Ku / 賈詡 Pang De / 龐徳 Hou Toku / 龐徳 Dun Wo / 夏侯惇
Zaho Ton / 夏侯惇 Yuan Ti / 夏侯淵 Kakou En / 夏侯淵 Zhong Hui / 鍾會
Exhibit D - Beijing Bridge
Over this River there is a very fine stone bridge, so fine indeed, that it has very few equals. The fashion of it is this: it is 300 paces in length, and it must have a good eight paces of width, for ten mounted men can ride across it abreast. It has 24 arches and as many water-mills, and 'tis all of very fine marble, well-built and firmly founded. Along the top of the bridge there is on either side a parapet of marble slabs and columns, made in this way. At the beginning of the bridge there is a marble column, and under it a marble lion, so that the column stands upon the lion's loins, whilst on the top of the column there is a second marble lion, both being of great size and beautifully executed sculpture. At the distance of a pace from this column there is another precisely the same, also with its two lions, and the space between them is closed with slabs of grey marble to prevent people from falling over into the water. And thus the columns run from space to space along either side of the bridge, so that altogether it is a beautiful object.
Exhibit E - Oddities
In Kara-jang: "In this province live huge snakes and serpents of such a size that no one
could help but be amazed even to hear of them. You may take it for a fact that there are some of them ten paces [roughly 25 feet] in length that are as thick as a stout cask: for their girth runs to about ten palms [about 5 feet]. They have two squat legs in front near the head, which
have no feet but simply three claws, two small and one bigger. They have enormous heads and eyes so bulging that they are bigger than
loaves. Their mouth is big enough to swallow a man at one gulp."
In Sumatra: "They have wild elephants and plenty of unicorns, which are scarcely
smaller than elephants. They have the hair of a buffalo and feet like an elephant’s. They have a single large, black horn in the middle of the
forehead. They do not attack with their horn, but only with their tongue and their knees; for their tongues are furnished with long, sharp spines, so that when they want to do any harm to anyone they first crush him
by kneeling upon him and then lacerate him with their tongues."
Exhibit F – Page from Book
CHAPTER XIII
CONCERNING THE ISLAND OF ANGAMANAIN. Angamanain is a very large Island. The people are without a king and are Idolaters, and no better than wild beasts. And I assure you all the men of this Island of Angamanain have heads like dogs, and teeth and eyes likewise; in fact, in the face they are all just like big mastiff dogs! They have a quantity of spices; but they are a most cruel generation, and eat everybody that they can catch, if not of their own race. They live on flesh and rice and milk, and have fruits different from any of ours.
Illustration from a version of the book printed in the 1450s. Not from the original work.
These (Blemmyae, Sciopod, Wildman) are not found in Marco’s text – only as illustrations in early manuscripts. They are found in other European mythologies and described by other explorers.
Exhibit G – Rusticello Rustichello da Pisa was the author of The Travels of Marco
Polo. He was a fairly well known writer before writing the
book. A few scanned pages of his works are provided for
analysis.
Exhibit H - Interrogation Transcript of Mr. Polo (Translated from original Italian)
(BEGIN AUDIO RECORDING)
MARCO POLO: (INAUDIBLE) because I really did go there!
DETECTIVE STONE: So, you went to China. How then do you explain your name not appearing in the
records? Surely an Italian would have stood out enough to be in them right?
MARCO POLO: How do you know I’m not in the records? Do you speak Mongolian? You were looking for
the name “Marco Polo” I assume? That’s not my Mongol name so why would it appear in the record that
way?
DETECTIVE STONE: So, what is your Mongol name?
MARCO POLO: Look, why would I tell you? You’re the detective. Prove me guilty if you can but I’m not
going to help you.
DETECTIVE STONE: Fine. Why didn’t you write about The Great Wall or (INAUDIBLE) in your book?
MARCO POLO: The great what? The only thing “great” in China was the Kahn. There were walls around
the cities sure but nothing called a “Great Wall” As for the other thing, I’ve never heard of it either. We
drank goat’s milk, water and wine. Nothing like what you’re describing – are you trying to trick me?!
DETECTIVE STONE: Is there anything you left out of your book that you’d like to go on record as seeing?
MARCO POLO: Did you even read the book? I said at the end I saw twice as much as I could ever describe
in a book. Of course I saw more.
DETECTIVE STONE: Anything specific?
MARCO POLO: Not that I’d want to tell you.
DETECTIVE STONE: I can see you aren’t going to cooperate – just one final question. Can you tell me
what this says?
MARCO POLO: (INAUDIBLE) so I don’t know – mostly looks like some kind of squiggle writing.
DETECTIVE STONE: It’s Chinese – are you sure you don’t know what it says?
MARCO POLO: I never bothered to learn Chinese so no; I don’t know what it says. I’m done with this
