April 2016: Basques: the Un-sung Whalers of the Northwest Atlantic

April 24, 2016 at 3pm

Archaeological Institute of America Lecture

Basques: the Un-sung Whalers of the Northwest Atlantic

Dr. William Fitzhugh

The European discoveries and settlement of the Americas is known largely by the historical record. Until the discovery of the L’Anse Aux Meadows site in Newfoundland in 1960, the same could be said of Vikings, whose exploits of ca. AD 1000 had been known only from the Vinland sagas. Another previously unknown chapter of American history—this time a 16th century Basque story—came to light in the 1970s as a result of excavations at Red Bay, Labrador, including the wreck of a sunken ship, the San Juan. More recently Smithsonian teams working on the north shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence have discovered a rich trove of archaeological finds documenting the first-known collaboration between Basques whalers and fishermen and the Labrador Inuit.

Unless otherwise noted Lectures are on Sundays at 3pm in Spiro Hall 2, Wagner College,
631 Howard Avenue (1 Campus Road), Grymes Hill, Staten Island, NY 10301

AIA lectures (Oct 18 & April 24) are FREE and open to all
ASSI lectures are free for ASSI and AIA members, students 22 years or younger
And Wagner Faculty and Staff – Please show ID
Others may attend ASSI lectures for a $5.00 donation or may join the ASSI at the door.

Meet the speaker over coffee and cake following each lecture
For more information write: The Archaeology Society of Staten Island P.O. Box 140504
Staten Island, NY 10314-0504

 

Comments are closed.