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This map shows the extent of the Vikings' travels from their home base of Scandinavia (in pink). The Vikings were excellent ship builders and terrific navigators. Historians believe they traveled so far because their growing population could not be supported by the rocky land and short growing season in their homeland.
During Leif Erikson's lifetime, the earth was experiencing a period of global warming. Historians suggest that this may explain the existence of grapes and grapevines that were described in the Viking sagas about Leif Erikson's voyage to Vinland, which means "Land of Wine." Read below about the two most famous Vikings, Eric the Red and Leif Ericsson (also spelled Erik the Red and Leif Erikson). Browse the website about the archeological site, L'Anse Aux Meadows, the site of the Viking's settlement in North America.
During Leif Erikson's lifetime, the earth was experiencing a period of global warming. Historians suggest that this may explain the existence of grapes and grapevines that were described in the Viking sagas about Leif Erikson's voyage to Vinland, which means "Land of Wine." Read below about the two most famous Vikings, Eric the Red and Leif Ericsson (also spelled Erik the Red and Leif Erikson). Browse the website about the archeological site, L'Anse Aux Meadows, the site of the Viking's settlement in North America.
Eric the Red![]() Most of what is known about Erik Thorvaldsson, or Erik the Red, comes from Nordic and Icelandic sagas. He is believed to have been born in 950 in Rogaland on the southwestern tip of Norway. At age 10, Erik’s father, Thorvald Asvaldsson, was exiled to Iceland for manslaughter. Later, Erik followed in his father's footsteps, committing another killing and was exiled from Iceland which prompted him to find another place to settle, he called that place Greenland in order to convince other settlers to join his colony.
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Leif EricssonLeif Ericson (Leif the Lucky) was the second of three sons of Erik the Red. The date of Leif Eriksson’s birth is uncertain, but he is believed to have grown up in Greenland. While the timeline of events is unclear, a number of stories agree that Leif was converted to Christianity by King Olaf in Norway. Shortly afterwards, he found himself following in his brother's path and sailed to North America where he had heard stories about a land where grapes grew wild and where the land was good for farming. While we don't think that Leif Erikson stayed in Newfoundland, it has been suggested that his journey marked the beginning of Norse settlement in North America.
Vocabulary
Saga landscape exile manslaughter Norse Places Iceland Greenland Newfoundland |
Vikings in North America![]() L'Anse aux Meadows hosts the earliest evidence of European settlement in the New World. In fact, it is the first and only known site established by Vikings in North America.
Throughout history, Norse Sagas had spoken about a rich landscape similar to Newfoundland's. But historians had no proof to determine whether this was fact or myth. However, the discovery of a small cloak pin in 1968 proved that Norse explorers had indeed settled in Newfoundland five centuries before Columbus! Norse Sagas had often told of sailors gathering cargoes of lumber and pelts. They also told of clashes between the Norse and native inhabitants they called Skraelings. Run north by the Skraelings, the explorers settled at the head of Newfoundland's Great Northern Peninsula -now called L'Anse aux Meadows. |