Skraeling Island
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Northern Canada |
| Coordinates | 78°54′43″N 075°38′00″W / 78.91194°N 75.63333°WCoordinates: 78°54′43″N 075°38′00″W / 78.91194°N 75.63333°W[1] |
| Archipelago |
Queen Elizabeth Islands Canadian Arctic Archipelago |
| Length | 2,000 m (7,000 ft) |
| Width | 1,400 m (4,600 ft) |
| Administration | |
|
Canada | |
| Territory | Nunavut |
| Region | Qikiqtaaluk |
| Demographics | |
| Population | Uninhabited |
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.
History
The Norse referred to the indigenous peoples they encountered in Greenland and the New World as skræling (`cloth-skin,' possibly derived from the hides the natives wore), and the sagas make it clear that the Norse considered the natives hostile.[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 at the Atlas of Canada
- ↑ Lemonick, Michael D.; Dorfman, Andrea (2000-05-08). "The Amazing Vikings". 155 (19). Time.com.
External links
- Skraeling Island in the Atlas of Canada - Toporama; Natural Resources Canada