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Vinland




Poster: "Terry L. Neill" <Neilltl@ptsc.slg.eds.com>

kmorse@Bledsoe.Net (Katherine Morse) wrote:

>>Someone once told me something about the Vikings discovering North America
>way before Columbus. Is there any truth to this? Where is a good place to
>start looking?


L'Anse aux Meadows in Northeastern Canada is an authentic Viking site that
dates from sometime around 1100ad. (My reference books are at home.  I'm
working from memory.)

Spindle whorls, a ring pin, Viking iron working remains, and the post holes
of at least three buildings built in a Viking style have been found there.

The Vikings definately made it to North America before Christopher Columbus did.

Also the Vinland Saga and the Greenland Saga relate voyages to 'Vinland' -
North America.

There is much debate as to just where 'Vinland' (which means 'Vine Land' -
land of the vines, probably meaning grapes) is.  Some think as far south as
Virginia.  Some think the Vikings never made it much further south than
Newfoundland.  Evidence from the Sagas can be interpreted in various ways
and the only definitive evidence of their presence is waaaay up north at L'
Anse aux Meadows.

Butternuts were found in the middens at L'Anse aux Meadows, so one can
assume they at least made it far enough south to find those.

Vinland was never colonized, though.  Speculation as to why this is so, when
it was so much more climatically suitable than Greenland, which WAS
colonized, is also debated.  Many think the 'Skraelings' or native indians
probably drove them off.  But that is by no means The Accepted Theory (tm).

The Vikings evidently used Vinland more as a place to obtain natural
resources, such as timber, than as a place to raise a family (though women
were probably at the L'Anse aux Meadows site, as the evidence of a spindle
whorl and ring pin suggest).

Recent books on Vikings almost always have a chapter or so on L'Anse aux
Meadows.  Anything by James Graham-Campbell that was published in the 80s or
90s should have some information.  And he's got some very good overview
books out there.  My favorite is "A Cultural Atlas of the Viking World"
which is available at Barnes and Nobel and (last I checked) through Edward B.
Hamilton, booksellers, who sell remaindered books at a discount through the
mail (Get on their mailing list!).  It's about $45 at B&N and $30 or so from
EBH.  Your local library may have it as well.

Feel free to e-mail me if you are interested in more information.  I also
belong to a group that owns and sails two Viking Longship replicas (docked
in southern Maryland - we're always looking for more crew!) and am a member
of a group that re-enacts a Viking Camp.

Regards!

        - Anarra Karlsdottir
          Terry L. Neill
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