Thursday, October 09, 2008
This Day in the European Colonization of North America
On this day in 1003, according to the Greenlanders Saga, Leifr hinn heppni (known as Leif--pronounced Lafe, long 'a'--the Lucky to Europeans and Leif--pronounced Leaf, like on a tree--Erickson to Americans) landed in Vinland, probably modern Newfoundland, to establish the first European settlement there since the stone age. The American Indians, whom he called Skraelings, eventually drove the Vikings out, and back to Greenland, which because of favorable climate change, like now, could support the Norsemen/farmers in a style of life to which they had become accustomed.
That's our statue of Leif, a gift to the Icelanders, dramatically displayed in Reykjavík. Nice axe. Notice also the lack of horns on Leif's helmet. No horned helmets for Vikings in the 11th Century.
Labels: North American Settlement by Europeans
# posted by Roger Fraley @ 12:01 AM 
