What was the name of the Viking settlement in Newfoundland excavated at L’Anse aux Meadows?

L’Anse aux Meadows was the Viking settlement excavated in Newfoundland, Canada.

The site contains the remains of Norse buildings, including houses, workshops, and a possible forge. Radiocarbon and wood analysis place the Norse activity around the year 1000. The discovery provided physical evidence that Norse sailors reached North America before later European voyages.

The settlement is widely connected with the Vinland voyages described in Icelandic sagas. The sagas mention places and events that cannot always be matched precisely to modern geography, so L’Anse aux Meadows is best understood as a confirmed Norse base or expedition site rather than proof that every saga detail occurred there.

The name Vinland may have referred to a larger region than the Newfoundland site. L’Anse aux Meadows was not a large permanent colony like a medieval European town; evidence suggests a relatively small, temporary settlement used during exploration and resource gathering.