Vikings visited North America as far back as a thousand years ago.
As a result of radiocarbon dating of pieces of processed wood found during archaeological excavations of a Viking settlement on the Canadian island of Newfoundland, it was established that the Normans arrived here no later than 1021 AD. This is the earliest documentary evidence of the presence of Europeans in America.
Scientists, led by specialists from the University of Groningen in the Netherlands, dated wood specimens discovered by researchers with traces of cuts in 1021 AD, and the metal tools that made these marks were not made by the indigenous people. The Vikings were already using metal tools at that time.
Scientists claim that this is the earliest and most accurate date not only for the European settlement of the Americas, but also for circumnavigation of the globe. The results of the study provide a definitive point of reference for understanding the global transfer of knowledge, genetic information and goods. A detailed description of the scientists' discovery was published in Nature.
Photo: Glenn Nagel Photography