Markland is the name given to a part of shoreline in Labrador, Canada, named by Leif Eriksson when he landed in North America. The word Markland is from the Old Norse language for "forestland" or "borderland". It is described as being north of Vinland and south of Helluland. Although it was never apparently settled by Norsemen, there were probably a number of later expeditions from Greenland to gather timber.[1]
The Saga of the Greenlanders tells that Leif Eriksson set out in the year 1002 or 1003 to follow the route first described by Bjarni Herjólfsson. The first land Eriksson went to was covered with flat rocks (Old Norse: hella). He therefore called it Helluland meaning "Land of the Flat Stones". Next Eriksson came to a land that was flat and wooded, with white sandy beaches, which he called this Markland. The Saga of the Greenlanders also tells of 160 men and women who settled in Markland for winter protection led by Thorfinn Karlsefni (Þorfinnr Karlsefni Þórðarson), circa 1010 AD. [2] [3]
It is commonly believed to be Labrador, as Labrador lies in the heavily forested taiga region of the Northern Hemisphere. Ericson's crew cut down trees and took them to Greenland, because Greenland had few trees. It has further been claimed that Markland probably was Southern Labrador, with Helluland being Northern Labrador (divided by the Groswater Bay/Lake Melville).[4]
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