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
What is unusual about the make up of the buildings at L’anse and what does this suggest?
it is not typical of Norse settlements- the whole complex is grouped together and there was no kind of stabling or pens for animals
– this indicates that the settlement was not a colonising, self-sustaining venture which depended upon farming for its livelihood.
Summary of what L’anse aux meadows was:
L’anse A. M. was not a colony but a base at which a large group of people, perhaps three ship crews, stayed for a short time.
Mostly hired crew, very few women for domestic chores but no children and no regular households
Represented norse social stratification- a member of Lief Ericsson’s family was always the singular leader.
When was L’anse aux meadows used?
The expeditions took place around the year 1000
Each expedition stayed for 1-3 years but in the end were given up all together, with the presence of aboriginal people considered to be the main reason
What was the purpose of l’anse…?
In the summer, some occupants would explore further south and their goods were then stored over winter to be taken back to greenland (presence of large storage rooms indicates trade)
Discuss the location of L’anse aux meadows…
It is in a convenient point/ location for providing access into the Gulf of St Laurence and therefore that entire sea area
How far did the norsemen go?
Seems they went no further than New Brunswick.
Erik’s saga says they found grapes at ‘Hop’ which means inlet or lagoon- something New Brunswick has many of This area also had the highest concentration of aboriginal people in Atlantic candada
What name is given to the Vinland settlement in Erik’s Saga?
Straumfjord
How is Straumfjord described?
Straumfjord has the same kind of occupants and function as L’anse - in that it was a base where some of the expedition members stayed al year round, but where most were absent on extended expeditions during the summer
What is the written evidence for the Vinland voyages in the sagas?
L’anse is more or less mentioned in both The Saga of Erik the Red and The Greenlander’s Saga as the base from which Vinland was explored
Who built and operated the site of L’anse?
We can deduce it was Lief Ericsson as when the Vinland voyages began, he was chief of greenland.
His son then authorised subsequent expeditions
How is Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis helpful?
This mesures trace elements in rocks which suggests that the fire starters found at L’anse came from Iceland and Greenland, with jasper from both locations being found in different halls.
A third kind of jasper from Newfoundland was also found in Hall D and has been taken to be further evidence of south-easterly exploration.
Why did the Norse go to Vinland?
The explorations there were the natural consequence of settlement in an unknown territory.
They evaluated the environment and its resources, and then exploited what was profitable
Why was Vinland ultimately economically and otherwise unviable?
The attractive resources (i.e. wood and grapes) were just too far from Greenland to be worth pursuing.
This combined with the large and unfriendly populations in Vinland may be another reason why they left after a few years
Greenlander’s relationship with Vinland compared to Europe
Traffic with Europe was essential for the Greenlanders, traffic with Newfoundland was not.
What is it VERY important to do when thinking about the Vinland voyages?
Integrate written and archaeological evidence
