During the Viking Age, the Norwegian Vikings were renowned sailors, explorers, warriors, and conquerors. In stark contrast to the their Scandinavian neighbours in terms of navigation, more specifically the Danish Vikings and the Swedish Vikings respectively, the Norwegian Vikings mostly set sail westward and northward towards north-eastern present-day England, Scotland, Ireland, the Faroe Islands, and…
Some of Greenland’s islands were discovered sometime during the 10th century by an Icelandic Viking by the name Gunnbjörn Ulfsson and his crew, who were blown off course from Norway to Iceland. His life, deeds, and this voyage are briefly documented in the Icelandic saga ‘Landnámabók’ (‘The Book of the Settlements’ in translation). These islands…
The ruins of the Hvalsey church from southern Greenland represent the best preserved historical evidence of a past Norse settlement in the region during the Middle Ages. Geographically, the site on which the church was built is located on a narrow strip of land facing a fjord, in the proximity of the small town of…
Below you can read a list of ten facts you should know about Greenland. 10. Roughly 80% of Greenland’s total area is ice-capped. However, the remainder ice free territory of the island accounts for nearly the total area of Sweden. 9. As of 2015, the island has a total population of 55,847 permanent residents. Of…
This article represents a brief overview on the fate of the lost Vikings of Greenland and their historical legacy throughout the centuries. We’ll start off with a noteworthy quote by Robert J. McNamara: ‘The west coast of Greenland was the site of a thriving Viking colony for hundreds of years. Originally settled by explorers who…
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