Vikings in America [Kindle Edition]

In "Vikings in America" Graeme Davis, an academic scholar specializing in linguistics of the medieval North Atlantic, has crafted a multi-discipline survey of the evidemce for the presence of Vikings in North America from circa 1000 through at least the 14th century. Davis notes: "The style of this book is as a continuouis narrative free from a heavy critical apparatus. Researchers witll readily find corroboration for factual material in major libraries or online. My contribution has been to put the whole together. There is little here that is original or primary research, save for the etymology proposed for 'America'." [Davis proposes that the name "America" came not from the Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci but rather from a Romance language distortion of the Old Norse term "merki" or "merik", meaning an undeveloped border country, i.e, the lands beyond Vinland.]

The author considers the various famous of "hard" evidence for Viking North American presence (Yale's Vinland Map, the Kensington Runestone, the Newport Tower) and concludes that although there are in each case substantial reasons for accepting the validity of that evidence, ultimately none of them can be conclusively shown to be genuine. But Davis believes that the evidence in sum -- archaeological, literary, philoological, genetic, etc. -- supports a view that "the Vikings were in North Amerioa in large numbers and for a long time." He stresses a need to move beyond "an unproductive reworking of the Vinland Map, Kensingtone Runestone and Newport Tower" and instead "accept that we should be able to find traces of the Vikings, and actively search for them."

Davis does not identify a specific candidate for the precise location of Vinland -- he evidently concludes it was a considerable area perhaps along the New England coast and even beyond -- and rejects the notion that equates L'Anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland with either being identical with Vinland, or even simply the "Leif's Booths" site known from the Norse sagas. Rather, Davis views L'Anse aux Meadows as a temporary (perhaps for a period of twenty years) gateway from Greenland to the lands to the west and south, "best regarded as a travellers' inn, a staging post for people on their way somewhere else."

The author devotes considerable attention to the Viking presence in the High Arctic to the northwest of Greenland, most particularly on Ellesmere Island, postulating not merely a very occasion, perhaps single, exploring voyage, but a longterm presence, at least seasonal in nature for hunting narwhals, although perhaps a permanent settlement that might have outlasted the Greenland Viking settlements.

"Vikings in America" is a fresh, open-minded examination of an old topic. It does not provide final answers, but surely points the way for further exploration.

Finally, a detailed and solid book on Viking exploration of America. Even though we have absolute proof they were in North America, scholars continue to ignore their explorations and impact. Davis explores all of the Viking landfalls from Greenland to Vinland. He also takes a clear look at controversies such as the Vinland Map and Kensington Rune Stone. His theory about the Narragansett Indians needs explored further, as does the Newport Tower. Why do archaeologists ignore something right in their own backyard? There is clear evidence that it predates colonial times. I'm not sure if Davis' Viking name for America holds up, and on page 160 he refers to Columbus as Hispanic, but overall this is the book on Vikings that all students of early American history and exploration have been waiting for. See also New England's Viking and Indian Wars .

I was very impressed with Graeme Davis's "Vikings In America" and enjoyed it immensely. The author writes in a methodical fashion, tracing a step-by-step advance of the "Northmonna" across the north Atlantic ocean to North America.

The author does a good job of showing the culture of the Vikings, their outlook and the shipbuilding technology that allowed them to be so adventurous and daring on the open ocean or river networks.

The book shows that the Viking accomplishment in reaching North America was a step-by-step process of people seeking lands to farm moving from their homeland to islands to the north of Britain (Shetland and the Faroes) to Iceland to Greenland to America. I was particularly impressed by the Viking belief that there was always a new land "out there" and their desire to find it. One must also be as impressed with their ability to build ships and sailing techniques to accomplish their journeys.

L'Anse aux Meadows is well covered and analyzed as a way station for exploration even farther west and south. The author writes about the many Viking artifacts found in the new world, whether it is chain mail on Ellesmere Island in the High Arctic or a distinctively Viking ship rivet found on the shore of Hudson Bay. The author presents evidence in a very conservative fashion, only making intelligent speculation where evidence warrants.

The author weaves into the fabric of his work the many unique personalities of the Viking world who figure into this story, both great and small. I felt the author indulged in Columbus bashing a tad bit, but certainly forgivable given the virtual snubbing of the Vikings by history. After all, the locals at L'Anse aux Meadows *knew* there were ancient remains there but no one ever wanted to investigate them until Helge Ingstad and Anne Stine did so in 1961.

This is a good, well-written and researched book that those interested in the subject of discovery and exploration or Vikings will enjoy. I recommend this book with five stars.