What North American Province Is Viking Sailing To?

Scientists have discovered evidence that Vikings occupied a site in Newfoundland, Canada, in 1021AD. The first permanent settlement of Vikings in North America was the seaside outpost known as LAnse aux Meadows, which has tantalized archaeologists for more. The Norse exploration of North America began in the late 10th century, when Norsemen explored areas of the North Atlantic colonizing Greenland and creating a short term settlement from 793 to 1066 CE. The Vikings embarked on various expeditions, from trading voyages in the Baltic and Mediterranean to raids on the British Isles.

The first European to lay eyes on North America was likely Bjarni Herjólfsson. In the 1960s, Norwegian explorer Helge Ingstad and his archaeologist wife, Stine, decided to resolve the question of whether Vinland meant. For centuries, scholars lumped Vinland together with other fabled realms like Atlantis or Avalon. However, archaeologists kept looking, and in 1960, archaeological evidence of the only known Norse site in North America, LAnse aux Meadows, was found on the northern tip of the island of Newfoundland. Before the discovery of archaeological evidence, Vinland was known only from sagas and medieval historiography.

LAnse aux Meadows in Newfoundland is the only authenticated Norse settlement in North America, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Viking is adding cruise ships to North American provinces, with the second expedition vessel, Viking Polaris, due in August 2022. This new dating technique provides evidence that Vikings were present in Newfoundland in ad 1021, overcoming the imprecision of previous age estimates.