Tanfield Valley facts for kids
Tanfield Valley, also called Nanook, is an archaeological site found on the very southern part of Baffin Island in Nunavut, Canada. Some people think that Norse explorers from Greenland and Iceland might have known about this place long before Christopher Columbus arrived in the Americas. It could be part of the area called Helluland in old Icelandic stories, like the Greenland Saga and Saga of Erik the Red.
Contents
What is Tanfield Valley?
Tanfield Valley is a special place where scientists look for clues about the past. It's an archaeological site, meaning it's where people lived a very long time ago. Finding out about these old settlements helps us understand history.
Why is Tanfield Valley Important?
Tanfield Valley is important because it might show that Norse people spent more time on Baffin Island than previously thought. They might have even traded with the local Dorset people. This idea was explored by a research project called the Helluland Archaeology Project.
What Did Researchers Find?
During excavations at Tanfield Valley, led by Patricia Sutherland, researchers found things that might be from the Norse. These included possible pieces of Norse cloth, metal items, and other tools that looked like European technology. Some wooden tools found at Dorset sites also looked very similar to Norse items from Greenland. Even fur from Eurasian rats was discovered, which is unusual for this area.
Understanding Ancient Textiles
In 2018, Michele Hayeur Smith, an expert in old textiles from Brown University, shared her thoughts on spinning yarn. She believes that ancient Arctic people, like the Dorset and Thule, probably didn't need to be taught how to spin yarn. She said it's "a pretty intuitive thing to do," meaning it comes naturally to people.
How Old is Yarn Spinning?
Making yarn is a very old skill. In 1992, Elizabeth Wayland Barber wrote about a piece of three-ply yarn found in the Lascaux caves in France. This yarn is from the Paleolithic era, which ended about 10,000 years ago. It was made by twisting three strands together in a way that is still used today.
Other Norse Sites in North America
While Tanfield Valley offers exciting clues, the only confirmed Norse site in North America outside of Greenland is L'Anse-aux-Meadows in Newfoundland. At L'Anse aux Meadows, eight sod buildings and many artifacts were found in the 1960s. These discoveries proved that the Norse had indeed settled there.
Past Research at Tanfield Valley
Before the Helluland Archaeology Project, another researcher named Moreau Maxwell (1918-1998) studied the site. He was a professor and curator of Anthropology at Michigan State University. His findings about the early history of Baffin Island were included in his book, Prehistory of the Eastern Arctic (1985).
Related Reading
- Maxwell, Moreau (1985) Prehistory of the Eastern Arctic (Academic Press) ISBN: 978-0124812703
- Sutherland, Patricia (2015) The Helluland Archaeological Project
