Definition: The Norse were Viking warriors who were great adventurers, traveling westward from the Viking homeland to Iceland, Greenland, and yes, even Canada. Between about 850 and 1100 AD, they set up camps, villages, and farmsteads in these countries, leaving an indelible mark in some places, nearly disappearing in others.
The one known Norse settlement in North America is called L'anse aux Meadows, located on the east coast of Labrador.
The one known Norse settlement in North America is called L'anse aux Meadows, located on the east coast of Labrador.
Sources
Amorosi, Thomas, et al. 1997 Raiding the landscape: Human impact in the Scandinavian north Atlantic. Human Ecology 25(3):491-518.
Rowlett, Ralph M. 1982 1000 years of new world archaeology. American Antiquity 47(3):652-654.
Svitil, Kathy A. 1997 The Greenland Viking Mystery. Discovery 18(7):28-30.
This glossary entry is part of the Dictionary of Archaeology. Any mistakes are the responsibility of Kris Hirst.
Examples: L'anse aux Meadows, Canada
