As I read Carrasco's Religions of Mesoamerica: Cosmovision and Ceremonial Centers (I admit to being a huge fan of Carrasco, btw, and am always thrilled to read him), I came across this quote from Pomponius Mela's Cosmographia, written in 1512:
In our lifetime, Amerigo Vespucci is said to have discovered that New World with ships belonging to the kings of Spain and Portugal; he sailed not only beyond the torrid zone but far beyond the Tropic of Capricorn. He says Africa stretches as far: and that his New World is quite distinct from it and bigger than our Europe. Whether this is true or a lie, it has nothing ... to do with Cosmography and the knowledge of History. For the peoples and places of that continent are unknown and unnamed to us and sailings are only made there with the greatest dangers. Therefore, it is of no interest to geographers at all.
chronarchy) wrote, 
amused 