Falling into Vínland

Abstract

Two interwoven topics are dealt with, firstly a new interpretation of the Icelandic Sagas and historical written sources on the Viking age voyages to North America, leading to a theory on the location of Vínland, and secondly an archaeological survey of deer hunting pitfalls in Newfoundland, which were possibly dug by the Nordic voyagers a millenium ago. According the theory of the article, Vínland is the modern day Newfoundland, and the Straumfjord of the sagas, where Thorfi nn Karlsefni and Gudríd Thorbjarnardóttir attempted settlement could be Sop’s Arm in White Bay on the North coast of Newfoundland. The system of pitfalls that was surveyed and excavated is close to Sop’s Arm. The pitfalls form an 82 metre long system that lies in an almost straight line. Individual pits are now 1.5–2.3 metres deep and 7–10 metres long. Two pitfalls were excavated by taking a section into them. Attempted radiocarbon dating of soil from two pitfalls was inconclusive. Considerable soil thickening of 55–110 centimetres since the pitfall construction was observed.

Beyond Raiding: Unveiling the Epic Voyages of the Vikings (793-1066 AD)

“…This essay has not accounted for travel time; otherwise, setting the polar positioning to allow 6.9 knots (Figure 1), as the average speed of a longship is believed to have been 7 knots. [19] The beat angle is set at the international standard. A further methodological issue with this essay is that it takes the primary sources at face value' -trusting them to be correct whilst not detailed.…”

“…[48] This was a journey (Figure 14) of 2244 miles. Leif first arrived in North America at at Helluland [49] (believed to be Baffin Island), [50] and then sailed to Markland [51] (believed to be Labrador), [52] before finally arriving in Vínland, [53] believed to be at L'Anse aux Meadows (Figure 15). [54] Eirík is described as being 'of Brattahlid' and returning there after travelling to the ship with Leif; from this, we can 'read' that firstly, Eirík lived at Brattahlid, and that secondly, the Leif did not sail from there.…”