New horizons at L'Anse aux Meadows.

Area of Science:

• Archaeology
• Paleoenvironmental Science
• Radiocarbon Dating

Background:

• L'Anse aux Meadows (LAM) is a UNESCO World Heritage site in Newfoundland, Canada.
• It is the only undisputed pre-1492 European settlement in the Americas.
• Previous research focused on the main Norse settlement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a multiproxy paleoenvironmental assessment of Norse settlement at LAM.
• To investigate a newly discovered cultural horizon near the Norse ruins.
• To re-evaluate the duration and nature of Norse activity at LAM.

Main Methods:

• Fieldwork and sampling of a peat bog adjacent to Norse ruins.
• Multiproxy paleoenvironmental analysis.
• Bayesian analysis of legacy radiocarbon dating data.

Main Results:

• A new cultural horizon was identified 30 meters east of the known Norse ruins.
• Bayesian analysis of radiocarbon data suggests Norse activity at LAM may have spanned a century.
• The cultural horizon contains non-native ecofacts, indicating potential Norse or Indigenous activities.

Conclusions:

• Norse presence at L'Anse aux Meadows may have been longer than previously understood.
• The newly discovered cultural horizon requires further investigation to determine its origin (Norse or Indigenous).
• This research provides nuanced insights into the early European exploration and settlement of North America.