Anne Stine Ingstad
Encyclopedia
Dr. Anne Stine Ingstad was a Norwegian
archaeologist who, along with her husband Dr. Helge Ingstad
, discovered the remains of a Viking
settlement at L'Anse aux Meadows
in the Canadian
province of Newfoundland and Labrador
in 1960.
, in Oppland
county, Norway
. Her parents were attorney Eilif Moe (1889-1954) and Louise Augusta Bauck Lindeman (1886-1966). Ingstad was the sister of Norwegian art historian and pianist, Ole Henrik Moe and the aunt of his son composer Ole-Henrik Moe. She married Helge Ingstad in 1941, after which she became his scientific collaborator.
She studied archaeology at the University of Oslo
in the 1950s. In 1960 her husband discovered settlement traces at L'Anse aux Meadows on the island of Newfoundland. Between 1961 and 1968, Anne Stine Ingstad led an excavation of the settlement with an international team of archaeologists from Sweden
, Iceland
, Canada
, U.S.
and Norway. The excavation revealed the remains of an early 11th century Norse
settlement. These remains included sod house
s, a forge
, cooking pit
s and boathouse
s. The settlement is now a UNESCO
World Heritage Site
and a National Historic Site of Canada.
and Oseberg excavation sites. Anne Stine Ingstad died in 1997 at the age of 79, leaving behind her 98 year old husband Helge and their daughter Benedicte Ingstad, a professor of medical anthropology at the University of Oslo
.
. In 1992 she was also awarded an Honorary Doctorate at the University of Bergen
. She was a commander of the Order of St. Olav and was made a member of the Norwegian Academy of Science.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
archaeologist who, along with her husband Dr. Helge Ingstad
Helge Ingstad
Helge Marcus Ingstad was a Norwegian explorer. After mapping some Norse settlements, Ingstad and his wife Anne Stine, an archaeologist, in 1960 found remnants of a Viking settlement in L'Anse aux Meadows in the Province of Newfoundland in Canada...
, discovered the remains of a Viking
Viking
The term Viking is customarily used to refer to the Norse explorers, warriors, merchants, and pirates who raided, traded, explored and settled in wide areas of Europe, Asia and the North Atlantic islands from the late 8th to the mid-11th century.These Norsemen used their famed longships to...
settlement at L'Anse aux Meadows
L'Anse aux Meadows
L'Anse aux Meadows is an archaeological site on the northernmost tip of the island of Newfoundland in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Discovered in 1960, it is the only known site of a Norse or Viking village in Canada, and in North America outside of Greenland...
in the Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
province of Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
in 1960.
Biography
Anne Stine Moe was born and raised in LillehammerLillehammer
is a town and municipality in Oppland county, Norway, globally known for hosting the 1994 Winter Olympics. It is part of the traditional region of Gudbrandsdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Lillehammer. As of May 2011, the population of the town of Lillehammer was...
, in Oppland
Oppland
is a county in Norway, bordering Sør-Trøndelag, Møre og Romsdal, Sogn og Fjordane, Buskerud, Akershus, Oslo and Hedmark. The county administration is in Lillehammer. Oppland is, together with Hedmark, one of the only two landlocked counties of Norway....
county, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. Her parents were attorney Eilif Moe (1889-1954) and Louise Augusta Bauck Lindeman (1886-1966). Ingstad was the sister of Norwegian art historian and pianist, Ole Henrik Moe and the aunt of his son composer Ole-Henrik Moe. She married Helge Ingstad in 1941, after which she became his scientific collaborator.
She studied archaeology at the University of Oslo
University of Oslo
The University of Oslo , formerly The Royal Frederick University , is the oldest and largest university in Norway, situated in the Norwegian capital of Oslo. The university was founded in 1811 and was modelled after the recently established University of Berlin...
in the 1950s. In 1960 her husband discovered settlement traces at L'Anse aux Meadows on the island of Newfoundland. Between 1961 and 1968, Anne Stine Ingstad led an excavation of the settlement with an international team of archaeologists from Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Norway. The excavation revealed the remains of an early 11th century Norse
Norsemen
Norsemen is used to refer to the group of people as a whole who spoke what is now called the Old Norse language belonging to the North Germanic branch of Indo-European languages, especially Norwegian, Icelandic, Faroese, Swedish and Danish in their earlier forms.The meaning of Norseman was "people...
settlement. These remains included sod house
Sod house
The sod house or "soddy" was a corollary to the log cabin during frontier settlement of Canada and the United States. The prairie lacked standard building materials such as wood or stone; however, sod from thickly-rooted prairie grass was abundant...
s, a forge
Forge
A forge is a hearth used for forging. The term "forge" can also refer to the workplace of a smith or a blacksmith, although the term smithy is then more commonly used.The basic smithy contains a forge, also known as a hearth, for heating metals...
, cooking pit
Earth oven
An earth oven or cooking pit is one of the most simple and long-used cooking structures . At its simplest, an earth oven is simply a pit in the ground used to trap heat and bake, smoke, or steam food...
s and boathouse
Boathouse
A boathouse is a building especially designed for the storage of boats, normally smaller craft for sports or leisure use. These are typically located on open water, such as on a river. Often the boats stored are rowing boats...
s. The settlement is now a UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
and a National Historic Site of Canada.
Later years
In the 1970s Anne Stine Ingstad worked on the textiles from the KaupangKaupang
Kaupang was in Old-Norwegian a word that means a market-place. It is today used as a name of the first urban market-place in the area that today is Norway, also named Kaupang in Skiringssal...
and Oseberg excavation sites. Anne Stine Ingstad died in 1997 at the age of 79, leaving behind her 98 year old husband Helge and their daughter Benedicte Ingstad, a professor of medical anthropology at the University of Oslo
University of Oslo
The University of Oslo , formerly The Royal Frederick University , is the oldest and largest university in Norway, situated in the Norwegian capital of Oslo. The university was founded in 1811 and was modelled after the recently established University of Berlin...
.
Honors
For her efforts, in 1969 Anne Stine Ingstad was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by Memorial University of NewfoundlandMemorial University of Newfoundland
Memorial University of Newfoundland, is a comprehensive university located primarily in St...
. In 1992 she was also awarded an Honorary Doctorate at the University of Bergen
University of Bergen
The University of Bergen is located in Bergen, Norway. Although founded as late as 1946, academic activity had taken place at Bergen Museum as far back as 1825. The university today serves more than 14,500 students...
. She was a commander of the Order of St. Olav and was made a member of the Norwegian Academy of Science.