L'Anse aux Meadows, Newfoundland
The Viking Sun anchored at L’Anse aux Meadows overnight in
calm waters. At first light, the sun threatened to break through the overcast that
had plagued us for days. L’Anse aux
Meadows, located at the northern most point of Newfoundland, has a population
of 19. Today, 18 of the village’s 19
residents assisted us as hosts and guides, the 19th was in school.
At 7:55 AM we tender ashore shivering in 40-degree
temperatures. Back home it is in the 70s
to 80s. (Just wait, soon we will be in
the 80s and 90s and you will be in the
40s.)
Greeting us with a ROAR as we disembark our tender, a local
resident dressed in Viking attire enjoyed his role as a host.
Nearby we visited the site of the Norse village Erikson, predating
Columbus’s “discovery of the Americas” by 500 years. It has been designated a
Canadian National Historic Site and more recently a UNESCO World Heritage site
and is the only authenticated Viking settlement in North America.
It was an easy ½ mile walk through the thick, green brush
that blanketed the landscape. A thousand
years ago this area was heavily forested with hardwood trees. Deforestation by early settlers followed by a
colder climate and the introduction of moose have hindered efforts to replace
the forests.
Entering the archaeological study area we pass by the
excavation sites where about 1960 Helge and Anne Stein Ingstad discovered mounds
that upon examination were the remains of a Viking village established here
about 1000 AD. Artifacts from the dig provided
evidence that the villagers had arrived from Greenland where it is known that
the Norse were well established.
The park has constructed sod houses consisting of soil
packed over wooden frames. Based on archaeological
research, it is believed this is how the Norse built their village structures for
protection against the harsh winters. The
18 L’Anse aux Meadows villagers, in period dress, informed and demonstrated what
life was like in this first settlement.
A single room provided the space for all their living needs;
sleeping, cooking, socializing, storage of provisions, etc. Here a young woman is cooking flat bread. She offered to share it in exchange for our
first born.
In another structure a blacksmith heated iron with a double
bellows. Natural iron oxide is found nearby
providing the raw material needed to create nails, weapons (to defend themselves
against the Aboriginal peoples who outnumbered them), and related metal
hardware. A blacksmith was the highest
skilled villager and thus the “wealthiest” man in the settlement. Unfortunately, they died before age 25 from
black lung. (Just like today, its every woman’s
dream to marry a successful man who will leave her a rich widow.)
One thousand years ago the earth was in a warming cycle and it
was possible to cultivate root plants and early maturing vegetables.
Several tour members tried their hand at ax throwing. None were successful at making it stick. Our "Viking" woman host could do it every time.
The Norse were converted to Christianity about 900 AD and
likely would have had a small church similar to this in their settlement.
Nautical Term of the Day -- By Guess and by God
This early form of navigation relied upon experience, intuition and faith. Today, it has come to mean "inspired guesswork."
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