5: Vinland Flashcards
When is the name ‘Vinland’ first recorded?
First recorded in the 1070s by Adam of Bremen, who claimed that Vinland was an island cos called because it has vines which produce excellent wine. He thought ‘vin’ came from ‘vinum’, the latin for wine.
But he then goes on to say how Vinland is a lot like a mythical paradise on the margin of the known world, so his account is pretty problematic.
What is the evidence that the ‘vin’ element refers to wine?
- Adam of Bremen
- Grænlendinga Saga
- Discovery of grapes
Saga evidence for ‘wineland’
Vines and grapes turn up again in Grænlendinga Saga which was written about 100 years after Islendingabok, but not v. reliable
- but apart from this account, the sagas never mention wine as it was rare- people drank ale
Two interpretations of ‘vinland’
‘wineland’ and ‘grassland’
Where was L’anse aux medows
It is a single location on the northern edge of Vinland, which functioned as its port of entry
What is the archaeological/ natural evidence for it being called ‘Wineland’?
Discovery of butternuts at L’anse aux Meadows, and butternuts grow in the same area as wild grapes.
Wild grapes also made an impression on later explorers, and indeed Jacques Cartier called an island near Quebec ‘Isle du Bacchus’
What does the ‘vin’ in ‘grassland’ mean?
a ‘vin’ is a meadow pasture or naturally flat grassy spot.
What are the arguments for it being called ‘Grassland’
- It fits Norse cultural patterns, as they tended to give ‘functional names’, i.e. descriptive of natural resources (and ‘wineland’ would appear the total opposite of this). Indeed the Norse gave functional names to all the other regions of North America, such as ‘Markland’ meaning Forest land
Introduce Vínland v. Vinland
We don’t know whether the Norse originally called the place ‘Wineland’ or ‘Grassland’ and its meaning has been much disputed
Arguments against ‘grassland’
- ‘Vin’ is not found in any place names in Iceland or greenland (but this could just be because they don’t have any Vins)
How was the site of L’anse…. organised?
there is 8 buildings, of which 7 are grouped into complexes.
The eighth building is a hut away from the others
Date of L’anse ….?
Site has been dated to early 11th century based on radiocarbon dates and architecture style.
It is not possible to tell how long the site was occupied for but it doesn’t appear to have been very long, as there is no cemetery and few objects around the place.
The site also appears to have been abandoned in an orderly manner
What does the construction of the buildings at L’anse indicate?
that they were made for year-round use, rather as warm weather shelters– they had permanent roofs for example.
Their construction was a considerable investment and enterprise- made of at least 86 large trees
the settlement of L’anse settlement evidence…
The size of the living areas suggests about 70-90 people could have lived there, and there is evidence of weaving, and ironworking
What do the buildings at L’anse indicate in terms of social stratification?
The buildings show that not everyone was equal as the two largest halls’ layout is in a manor style (the kind used by chieftains), and finds of gilded jewellery and beads indicate that well-off people were living there
