AIA News

April 1, 2016

New Viking Site Uncovered from Space


AIA Trustee Sarah Parcak (University of Alabama at Birmingham) appeared in the New York Times for identifying a new archaeological site in Newfoundland by examining aerial photographs for signs of human settlement. Images of the site of Point Rosee indicated buried walls lay underneath the surface. Preliminary excavation at the site uncovered Viking-style turf walls and signs of ironworking. Radiocarbon dating confirmed the materials date to the Norse era. 

If the team is correct, the site at Point Rosee represents only the second Norse settlement discovered in North America. To learn more about the discovery, watch the NOVA two-hour documentary, “Vikings Unearthed,” which will premiere on PBS on Wednesday, April 6. The program will be available for streaming at 3:30 p.m. at www.pbs.org/nova, and broadcast on PBS at 9 p.m. on the same date. 

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