Centuries before Columbus crossed the Atlantic, Viking ships were already arriving in North America.
Stories of the Vikings in the Americas have always been told, but for a long time this was treated as legend, preserved in Icelandic sagas that spoke of journeys to a land rich in grapes and timber!
But today, archaeology has confirmed that Norse sailors not only reached the continent but also built a settlement. This totally changed perceptions of Vikings and what they were capable of!
When did the Vikings reach North America?
The Icelandic sagas describe voyages to Vinland around the turn of the 11th century, detailing seafarers setting sail from the country, heading to Greenland and then venturing further west. Excavations at L’Anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland have proved this.
The site contains turf buildings and ironworking remains dated to about 1000 CE, which aligns closely with saga accounts.
This makes the Norse settlement at Newfoundland the earliest known European presence in the Americas.
Where did they go?
Vikings would have set sail from Greenland (which they would have already traveled to from Norway via Iceland) and headed west, to Newfoundland. This would have taken 2-3 weeks, depending on the weather and currents, before climbing ashore and settling.
The best-documented Norse site in North America is L’Anse aux Meadows at the tip of Newfoundland, but saga descriptions suggest they explored further!
In the Saga of the Greenlanders and the Saga of Erik the Red, Norse sailors mention three new lands: Helluland, thought to be Baffin Island; Markland, likely Labrador; and Vinland, whose fertile landscape fits southern Newfoundland but could also indicate areas further south.
The sagas describe coastlines of flat stones, thick forests and wild vines. These details that match various parts of the North American Atlantic seaboard (but do indicate they stuck to the North Atlantic).
While the sagas can’t be read as exact maps, archaeologists and historians use them alongside material evidence to piece together where the Vikings may have travelled.
The consensus is that they sailed beyond Newfoundland, exploring at least part of modern-day Canada’s eastern shores.
What did they bring and leave behind?
Excavations at L’Anse aux Meadows have revealed turf-walled houses and evidence of ironworking, with slag and nail fragments showing that the Norse were repairing ships and tools. Other finds include spindle whorls used for spinning wool, small bronze items, and objects that may have been gaming pieces.
These discoveries suggest that families, not just explorers, lived at the site and carried out domestic tasks and leisure activities.
Many excavations have taken place and found remains plus everyday items, including spindle whorls, bronze and maybe even gaming pieces (mobile casinos were a long way off, but it’s thought that the Vikings did gamble!).
Why did the Vikings stop coming?
Although transatlantic crossings were possible, the Viking presence in North America was brief. The sagas describe clashes with Indigenous peoples, whom the Norse referred to as Skrælings.
These encounters could quickly turn violent, making it difficult for the small Norse groups to maintain security so far from their Greenland base.
Distance was another problem. Sailing from Iceland to Greenland was already demanding, and pushing on to Newfoundland stretched resources even further. Supply lines were unreliable, and the North American climate posed new challenges for farming and settlement.
Combined with limited numbers of settlers and competing demands in the Norse homelands, sustaining a colony became impractical. It’s thought that the Vikings who resided here returned to Greenland, where Viking colonies remained until the 15th century.
Archaeological evidence indicates that L’Anse aux Meadows was occupied only for a brief period, perhaps a few years or a couple of decades, before being abandoned. The Vikings never returned in force.
Legacy of the Viking visits
The remains at L’Anse aux Meadows transformed our understanding of Atlantic history. Until its discovery in the 1960s, the idea that Vikings had reached North America was debated largely through the sagas.
But now, archaeological proof confirmed that Europeans crossed the ocean nearly 500 years before Columbus!
For modern visitors, L’Anse aux Meadows is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site – it’s recognised not only for its historical significance but also as a reminder of the ambition and limitations of early transatlantic journeys.
Concluding thoughts
L’Anse aux Meadows highlights the sheer scale of Norse seafaring. These were sailors who had already reached Iceland, Greenland and even parts of the British Isles and the Mediterranean, and their voyage to Newfoundland showed the full reach of Viking seamanship. It’s a long way!
Today, ongoing digs in Newfoundland and Labrador continue to uncover traces of Norse activity. There’s no definitive answer about how far inland or south they traveled, but information is popping up all the time.
So, remember: Christopher Columbus was not the first European to reach the Americas. Hundreds of years before, the Vikings were already here.
Photo by Steinar Engeland on Unsplash
