could there possibly have been some influence from the old world on the group of people you mentioned deep in the amazon ? varisco s response : some people think that perhaps the phoenicians came over here very early . [ that ] would be an old world influence . it is the kind of thing that if one steps back , it makes sense . i know that sounds crazy , but we are so used to thinking that the way we think about treating the dead is the normal way of doing it . when you understand their logic , you say ,  wow , that is interesting . i do not think that was in ancient phoenicia but it is an interesting historical question .