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The first of these he named Helluland or Flat-Stone Land which is now Labrador.

The first of these he named Helluland or Flat-Stone Land which is now Labrador.

There is very little evidence that he established a Norse settlement at L'Anse aux Meadows, Newfoundland. Before 1960 the suggestion had no credibility, and then several small Norse artifacts were supposedly found in Newfoundland without independent verification. One of those artifacts was used by Norse women in their chores, but there is no explanation for how or why Norse women would have gone to Newfoundland.

In 1960 a Norwegian explorer and writer, Helge Ingstad, came upon the site at L'Anse aux Meadows, after being led there by a local inhabitant. Over the course of the next eight years,  Ingstad, his wife, and an international team of archaeologists excavated the site and found the remains of eight Norse buildings from the 11th century. The walls and roofs had been of sod, laid over a supporting frame. The buildings were of the same kind as those used in Iceland and Greenland just before and after the year 1000. Long narrow fireplaces in the middle of the floor served for heating, lighting and cooking.  Several artifacts of Norse origin were found as well.<ref>http://www.pc.gc.ca/lhn-nhs/nl/meadows/natcul/decouverte_discovery_e.asp</ref>

 

Some of the artifacts were those used by Norse women, and along with the discovery of an iron forge, indicated that the site was used as a settlement for extended stays.  Subsequent excavations by Parks Canada in the 1970's uncovered an iron smithy by the forge, and a building where timber was cut and prepared for transport as lumber.  This corresponds to descriptions in the Nordic sagas of timber being prepared to take back to Greenland, which was a scare and valuable resource there. <ref>http://www.pc.gc.ca/lhn-nhs/nl/meadows/natcul/fouilles_excavate_e.asp</ref>

 

Why this settlement was abandoned is not known, but one suggested reason was harassment from the native Americans, who outnumbered the settlers despite the fighting prowess of the Norse.  Another explanation is economic - while the region offered valuable resources, in practical terms Europe was as close as Vinland and had more to offer.<ref>http://www.pc.gc.ca/lhn-nhs/nl/meadows/natcul/vinland_e.asp</ref>

According to the available documentary source, the Nordic sagas, Erikson was a [[Christian]] convert, and spread his new religion to his colonies.<ref>[http://www.gutenberg.org/files/17946/17946-h/17946-h.htm#chap_4 Saga of Erik the Red, chapter 4]</ref>

According to the available documentary source, the Nordic sagas, Erikson was a [[Christian]] convert, and spread his new religion to his colonies.<ref>[http://www.gutenberg.org/files/17946/17946-h/17946-h.htm#chap_4 Saga of Erik the Red, chapter 4]</ref>