Birgitta Wallace facts for kids
Birgitta Linderoth Wallace (May 1, 1934 – May 20, 2025) was a Swedish-Canadian archaeologist. An archaeologist is like a detective who studies the past by digging up old objects and buildings. Birgitta Wallace was an expert in finding clues about the Norse people (also known as Vikings) in North America. She worked for Parks Canada for many years. She is most famous for her important work at L'Anse aux Meadows. This is the only place in North America that is widely accepted as a Norse site.
In 2015, Birgitta Wallace received a special award called the Smith-Wintemberg Award from the Canadian Archaeological Association. This award recognized her amazing contributions to archaeology.
Birgitta Wallace's Life and Discoveries
Early Life and Education
Birgitta Wallace was born in Stockholm, Sweden, on May 1, 1934. Her parents were from Sweden and Denmark. She loved learning about history and went to Uppsala University in Sweden. There, she studied archaeology. She also gained hands-on experience by working at ancient sites in Sweden and Norway.
Exploring Ancient Worlds
After finishing her master's degree, Birgitta worked as a curator at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in the United States. A curator helps take care of museum collections. In 1975, she moved to Canada. She started working as an archaeologist for Parks Canada, which manages Canada's national parks and historic sites. She stayed there until she retired.
Birgitta Wallace's main focus was finding evidence of Norse people in North America. She started this work at the Carnegie Museum. But she also explored sites related to Indigenous peoples in the United States and Canada. She even worked on early French Canadian sites. Her work also took her to Scandinavia and Israel.
Birgitta Wallace passed away in Halifax, Canada, on May 20, 2025, at the age of 91. Her work helped us understand more about the early history of North America.
