Thursday, May 7, 2009

Discovery of Vinland - 1000th Anniversary

Date of Issue: March 16, 2000
Scott #: 905a

Designs:
40k - Viking with shield, globe
50k - Viking ship sailing
75k - Viking ship at shore
90k - Viking without shield, globe

Vinland was the name given to an area of North America by the Norseman - Leif Eriksson, about the year A.D. 1001.

In 1960 archaeological evidence of the only known Norse settlement in North America (outside of Greenland) was found at L'Anse aux Meadows (see map)

There is a consensus among scholars that the Vikings did reach North America, approximately five centuries prior to the voyages of Christopher Columbus.

The name Vinland has been interpreted in two ways: traditionally as Vínland ("wine-land") and more recently as Vinland (meadow- or pasture-land).

The main source of information about the Viking voyages to Vinland is derived from two Icelandic sagas, The Saga of Eric the Red and the Saga of the Greenlanders.

If interested in knowing more, click here.

Source: Wikipedia

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