Sandnæs

Sandnæs, often anglicized as Sandnes, was the largest Norse farmstead in the Western Settlement of medieval Greenland.^[1] Similarly with the Norwegian city of Sandnes, its name meant "Sandy Headland" in Old Norse. It was settled around AD 1000^[1] and abandoned by the late 14th century. It was located at the site known as Kilaarsarfik^[2] today,^[3] at the head of the Ameralla Fjord south of modern Nuuk's peninsula.

The farm was well-placed and possessed a large pasturage enabling its proprietors to successfully raise cattle, compared with goats and sheep at the other Western Settlement farms. It also included the area's church.^[3] However, the conditions throughout the site's existence were apparently filthy.^[4]

The site has been excavated, proving among other things that the Vikings continued to trade with the American mainland after Leif Ericson's failed colonization attempt.^[5] An arrowhead likely from the Point Revenge culture of native Americans in Labrador has been found in the graveyard at Sandnæs.^[6] There is also evidence of iron extraction at the site.^[7]

References

^ ^a ^b Miller, Barbara. "The History and Development of the Needle Case Archived 2012-09-13 at the Wayback Machine". Accessed 16 May 2012.
^ Spelled Kilærsavik before the introduction of home rule in 1979.
^ ^a ^b Enghoff, Inge B. Meddelelser om Grønland: Man and Society 28: "Hunting, Fishing and Animal Husbandry at the Farm Beneath the Sand, Western Greenland". Museum Tusculanum Press, 2003.
^ Buckland, P.C. & al. "Bioarchæological and Climatological Evidence for the Fate of the Norse Farmers in Medieval Greenland". Antiquity 70 (1996), 88–96. Accessed 16 May 2012.
^ Guðrún, Anna & al. Sailing West to Vinland. "Archaeological finds in Greenland Archived 2016-04-01 at the Wayback Machine". Accessed 16 May 2012.
^ Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. The Viking Voyage. "Markland and Helluland: Archaeology". Accessed 16 May 2012.
^ Nielsen, Niels. Meddelelser om Grønland: "Evidence of iron extraction at Sandnes, in Greenland's west settlement". C.A. Reitzel (Copenhagen), 1936.

64°14′37″N 50°10′32″W / 64.24361°N 50.17556°W / 64.24361; -50.17556

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[need-1] Miller, Barbara. "The History and Development of the Needle Case Archived 2012-09-13 at the Wayback Machine". Accessed 16 May 2012.

[2] Spelled Kilærsavik before the introduction of home rule in 1979.

[Huntin-3] Enghoff, Inge B. Meddelelser om Grønland: Man and Society 28: "Hunting, Fishing and Animal Husbandry at the Farm Beneath the Sand, Western Greenland". Museum Tusculanum Press, 2003.

[4] Buckland, P.C. & al. "Bioarchæological and Climatological Evidence for the Fate of the Norse Farmers in Medieval Greenland". Antiquity 70 (1996), 88–96. Accessed 16 May 2012.

[5] Guðrún, Anna & al. Sailing West to Vinland. "Archaeological finds in Greenland Archived 2016-04-01 at the Wayback Machine". Accessed 16 May 2012.

[6] Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. The Viking Voyage. "Markland and Helluland: Archaeology". Accessed 16 May 2012.

[7] Nielsen, Niels. Meddelelser om Grønland: "Evidence of iron extraction at Sandnes, in Greenland's west settlement". C.A. Reitzel (Copenhagen), 1936.

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