The map of this land turned out to be a forgery, but Vinland really existed. Why did the Vikings abandon it?

Initially seen as a gift from the gods, it was later called the cursed land. Vinland was supposed to be a paradise for the Vikings, abundant in natural resources and other riches. However, attempts to colonize the land in North America failed. Who discovered Vinland and why is the area not under the rule of Nordic peoples today? These and other questions are answered below.

The Vinland map / chart is purportedly a 15th century Mappa Mundi, redrawn from a 13th century original — [Photo: Yale University Press, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons]

Christopher Columbus went down in history as the discoverer of America. Scandinavian sagas, however, indicate that earlier than the Italian sailor the Vikings reached the shores of the New World. The fact is that it is the Nordic settlers who deserve the title of discoverers of this land, because it was they who reached the North American shore several hundred years before Columbus’ expedition. However, it should be remembered that the settlement they founded never developed into a permanent colony.

What is Vinland?

Speaking of Vinland, what you have in mind is the part of North America that the Vikings tried to colonize in the year 1000 (that is, 492 years before Columbus).

The first written references to Vinland date back to the second half of the 11th century. Between 1075 and 1080, the German chronicler…