Skraeling Island
Skraeling Island lies off the east coast of Ellesmere Island in the Canadian territory of Nunavut, at the mouth of Alexandra Fiord. Buchanan Bay lies to its north-east.
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Northern Canada |
| Coordinates | 78°54′43″N 075°38′00″W[1] |
| Archipelago | Queen Elizabeth Islands Canadian Arctic Archipelago |
| Length | 2,000 m (7000 ft) |
| Width | 1,400 m (4600 ft) |
| Administration | |
Canada | |
| Territory | Nunavut |
| Region | Qikiqtaaluk |
| Demographics | |
| Population | Uninhabited |
History
The Norse referred to the indigenous peoples they encountered in Greenland and the New World as skræling. The sagas make it clear that the Norse considered the natives hostile because they were repeatedly attacked by them.[2]
Archaeology
Skraeling Island is an extensive archeological site which has yielded a wealth of artifacts from Small-Tool cultures dating from 4500 BC (Dorset and Thule). Norse items found at Inuit sites — some 80 objects from a single site including a small driftwood carving of a face with European features — suggests that there was a lively trade between the groups (as well as an exchange of Norse goods among the Inuit).
References
- Skraeling Island Archived 2012-09-22 at the Wayback Machine at the Atlas of Canada
- Lemonick, Michael D.; Dorfman, Andrea (2000-05-08). "The Amazing Vikings". Time.com. Vol. 155 no. 19.