Archaeologists discover the Viking settlement of Vinland.Archaeologists discover the Viking settlement of Vinland.Archaeologists discover the Viking settlement of Vinland.
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Jon Granik
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Complete but front loaded
8/10, A concise story of the discovery of a western Norse settlement, potentially Vinland. Film does a good job of providing historical context, and explaining the mystery and discovery of 'Vinland'.
The information provided about Norse culture, and travel seems to carry merit and helps the viewer prepare for the analysis provided by the archaeologists. As the narration follows the the story of Erik the Red and Leif Erikson we gain an understanding of just how harsh life must have been in these settlements. Living in tiny villages on these desolate islands gives the viewer a stark contrast to modern life, and shows just how far humans have come. A lot of respect was gained for even the modern inhabitants as I learned about their lives as self sustaining fisherman, living far from the luxuries of modern life. Later clips from the historical site ceremony highlight this contrast as modern people rejoice sail and fly in to this northern Newfoundland peninsula to celebrate the findings of things such as stones and needles.
The one critique I would have of this film is the archaeologist are allowed to present their findings in a definite manner. It is not until the end of the film that we are told that L'anse aux Meadows may have only been a stop over for the Norse to a 'Vinland' further south. That being said, the archaeologists are captivating to listen to. Their passion for their findings is obvious and keeps the viewer entertained. The more factual information was also presented well. I had an appreciation for the descriptions of the bronze pins, and iron ore. These findings may have seemed trivial to viewers like me, but there was a successful effort to explain how these things indicated Norse settlers.
Also appreciated geographical context of the story. The producer did an excellent job of helping the viewer understand the travel ad geography of northern Europe and North America. By giving reference to historical Norse maps and stories, combined with current maps the viewer can really grip the scope of the accomplishments of these settlers. I would recommend this film simply because it turned a relatively dry topic (to me) to an interesting one.
The information provided about Norse culture, and travel seems to carry merit and helps the viewer prepare for the analysis provided by the archaeologists. As the narration follows the the story of Erik the Red and Leif Erikson we gain an understanding of just how harsh life must have been in these settlements. Living in tiny villages on these desolate islands gives the viewer a stark contrast to modern life, and shows just how far humans have come. A lot of respect was gained for even the modern inhabitants as I learned about their lives as self sustaining fisherman, living far from the luxuries of modern life. Later clips from the historical site ceremony highlight this contrast as modern people rejoice sail and fly in to this northern Newfoundland peninsula to celebrate the findings of things such as stones and needles.
The one critique I would have of this film is the archaeologist are allowed to present their findings in a definite manner. It is not until the end of the film that we are told that L'anse aux Meadows may have only been a stop over for the Norse to a 'Vinland' further south. That being said, the archaeologists are captivating to listen to. Their passion for their findings is obvious and keeps the viewer entertained. The more factual information was also presented well. I had an appreciation for the descriptions of the bronze pins, and iron ore. These findings may have seemed trivial to viewers like me, but there was a successful effort to explain how these things indicated Norse settlers.
Also appreciated geographical context of the story. The producer did an excellent job of helping the viewer understand the travel ad geography of northern Europe and North America. By giving reference to historical Norse maps and stories, combined with current maps the viewer can really grip the scope of the accomplishments of these settlers. I would recommend this film simply because it turned a relatively dry topic (to me) to an interesting one.
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- jdzwart
- Feb 3, 2019
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- Runtime29 minutes
- Color
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