Leif Ericsson and the Mystery of Vinland
Tracing the Adventures of a Nordic Explorer
Leif Ericsson’s early life reads like a typical Hollywood hero story. Born in Iceland to a family of outlaws (Leif’s father and grandfather were both known to be on the other side of the law, so to speak), Leif’s family immigrated to Greenland after his father, Eric the Red, was banished from the land. Leif himself is said to have inherited their adventurous spirit, and set out in his early thirties with 35 crew members to explore the waters around Greenland in hopes to find fertile land to claim.
Leif Ericsson’s North American Settlements
Many historical recounts of Leif’s voyages give a simple list of the places he landed, and then link them with their contemporary name. However, uncertainty remains as to whether these places are indeed the same as the ones Leif encountered on his journeys. For example, the first region Leif is said to have anchored ship was a glacial area that Leif named Helluland, or “Land of the Flat Stones.” Some sources will claim that Helluland is the area now known as Baffin Island. Other sources, however, simply state that Helluland could only possibly be Baffin Island.
The Vinland Sagas as Historical Evidence?
The uncertainty exists because the only source historians or archeologists have to make any sort of connections at all is what is known as the Vinland Sagas. Written by an unknown scribe in the 14th century - hundreds of years after Leif himself lived and died - these stories describe the lives of Leif’s father, Eric the Red, and the first settlers of Greenland. In these texts, historians can trace some of the geographical characteristics that were given to the lands Leif explored. It is only through investigation of this text, coupled with archeological evidence, that any sort of firm connection between the past and present can be made.
The Mystery of Vinland
The real mystery lies in the actual location of the third land that Leif settled, the land of plentiful salmon, green pastures, and patches of grapes that he called “Vinland.” Leif had heard about this unknown land from a Norse trader who was blown off course during a storm. The trader’s description of the land so enticed Leif that he decided to venture out and settle this seeming paradise. Stopping to explore different regions along the way, including Helluland, and another flat and highly wooded area Leif called Markland (Woodland), it is said Leif finally discovered Vinland - the land of abundant timber and wild grapes that he had been looking for. Leif established a settlement there and stayed the for the winter. However, for reasons known only to history, the next spring Leif and his crew set sail once again and returned home to Greenland. No records exist that state he ever returned.
L'Anse aux Meadows, Caught in a Historical Struggle
It was not until the middle of the twentieth century that an actual location for Vinland was proposed. Helge Ingstad and Anne Stine Ingstad discovered a Viking settlement on the northern tip of the Canadian province of Newfoundland, known as L'Anse aux Meadows. Initially, the Ingstad’s were certain they had found Leif’s mysterious Vinland. However, the geographic region itself does not fully fit the description of the land of abundant grapes that earned the area the name of “Vinland.” Since the Sagas are the only written texts scholars have to refer to, the struggle over where the truth of Vinland can be found - in the stories preserved through time or in the evidence found in the land - continues.
Sources:
The Great Unsolved Mysteries in Canadian History
Saga of Eric the Red from Icelandic Sada Database
Leif Ericsson on a voyage
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