Europeans in the Americas 1000 years ago

Date:
October 20, 2021
Source:
University of Groningen
Summary:
The Vikings were active in North America in the year 1021 AD. This
now represents the earliest -- and only -- known year in which
Europeans were present in the Americas prior to the arrival of
Columbus in 1492 AD. It also represents a definitive point in time
by which the Atlantic Ocean had been traversed and human migration
had finally encircled the globe.



FULL STORY ========================================================================== Columbus was not the first European to reach the Americas. The Vikings
got there centuries beforehand, although exactly when has remained
unclear. Here, an international team of scientists show that Europeans
were already active in the Americas in 1021 AD.


==========================================================================
The Vikings sailed great distances in their iconic longships. To the
west, they established settlements in Iceland, Greenland and eventually
a base at L'Anse aux Meadows, Newfoundland, Canada. However, it has
remained unclear when this first transatlantic activity took place. Here, scientists show that Europeans were present in the Americas in 1021 AD -- precisely 1000 years ago this year.

This date also marks the earliest known point by which the Atlantic
had been crossed, and migration by humankind had finally encircled the
entire planet.

A Solar Storm Solution In this study, the chopping of wood by Vikings
at L'Anse aux Meadows was dated to exactly the year 1021 AD. The three
pieces of wood studied, from three different trees, all came from contexts archaeologically attributable to the Vikings. Each one also displayed
clear evidence of cutting and slicing by blades made of metal -- a
material not produced by the indigenous population.

The exact year was determinable because a massive solar storm occurred
in 992 AD that produced a distinct radiocarbon signal in tree rings from
the following year.

"The distinct uplift in radiocarbon production that occurred between
992 and 993 AD has been detected in tree-ring archives from all over the
world" says Associate Professor Michael Dee (University of Groningen),
director of the research. Each of the three wooden objects exhibited
this signal 29 growth rings (years) before the bark edge. "Finding the
signal from the solar storm 29 growth rings in from the bark allowed us
to conclude that the cutting activity took place in the year 1021 AD" says
Dr Margot Kuitems (University of Groningen), first author of the paper.

How Far, How Often? The number of Viking expeditions to the Americas,
and the duration of their stay over the Atlantic, remain unknown. All
current data suggest that the whole endeavour was somewhat short lived,
and the cultural and ecological legacy of this first European activity
in the Americas is likely to have been small.

Nonetheless, botanical evidence from L'Anse aux Meadows has confirmed
that the Vikings did explore lands further south than Newfoundland.

The Sagas 1021 AD is the earliest year in which European presence
in the Americas can be scientifically proven. Previous dates for the
Viking presence in the Americas have relied heavily on the Icelandic
Sagas. However, these began as oral histories and were only written down centuries after the events they describe.

Whilst contradictory and at times fantastical, the Sagas also suggest encounters occurred, both violent and amiable, between the Europeans
and the indigenous people of the region. However, little archaeological evidence has been uncovered to support such exchanges. Other medieval
accounts also exist, which imply prominent figures on the European
mainland were made aware the Vikings had made landfall across the
Atlantic.

========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by University_of_Groningen. Note:
Content may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Kuitems, M., Wallace, B.L., Lindsay, C. et al. Evidence for European
presence in the Americas in ad 1021. Nature, 2021 DOI:
10.1038/s41586- 021-03972-8 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/10/211020135924.htm

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