Day 1 - DARC does LAM

Day 1 - unloading the boat, to join the crew at L'Anse aux Meadows.Good thing we used the large boat to get here. The folks who already live here were very welcoming to us newcomers.



We had a few issues to address, Grimbold tried to keep us all in line.



Kadja, reposed, as she listens in the meeting.



The cruise ship arrive tomorrow. We're expecting upwards of 600 folks to visit. May Thor grant us continued good weather.

And it turns out that I had no reason to freak out after all, it was a fine day.

"Sunburns on the northern most tip of Newfoundland, who'd have thought?"
Thorgrimr



Karen

DARC has arrived in L'Anse aux Meadows

The Dark Ages Recreation Company have arrived in L'Anse aux Meadows, Newfoundland, Canada, and we go live tomorrow for the next 10 days.

Hi, I'm Karen. I do weaving on the warp weighted loom and I'm freaking out.



Snorri came along for the ride.



Karen

DARC at LAM - 2010

the Viking Age comes to LIFE
August 15 - 25, L'Anse aux Meadows NHSC

http://www.warehamforge.ca/DARC-LAM/DARC-LAM-2010.html

In case any readers missed it (??) the Dark Ages Re-creation Company has been asked by Parks Canada to mount a major presentation at L'Anse aux Meadows NHSC. The 10 days of living history is to help mark the 50th anniversary of the discovery of the archaeological site in Vinland.

A look at L'Anse aux Meadows

These clips on YouTube include professional film and those by amateurs. Those that are relatively recent give you some idea what the Encampment looks like - and how the current staff are handling things like visitor questions.


" Frank and Todd live the life of the Norsemen in L'Anse aux Meadows Newfoundland "
June 2008



"L'Anse aux Meadows is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the only known Norse village in North America (outside of Greenland). Explore the unique cultural offerings that this archaeological site has to offer."
November 2009




" By Peter Bull, Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism
After a good night's sleep in St. Anthony, my family & I headed north to L'Anse aux Meadows. ... The site today is a perfect mix of displays, guided tours and interactive exhibits. We really loved L'Anse aux Meadows' hands-on approach to history. Ronan and Cormac had a great time trying on the Viking gear. ... "
August 2009



"A local viking holding court in L'Anse aux Meadows."
August 2009

Currency Bar - from our OWN Iron

A general feeling was that we should have at least one completed 'currency bar' made up for the L'Anse aux Meadows presentation - that was formed from iron we had smelted ourselves. There was one completed billet of iron on hand. Unfortunately there are some gaps and errors in the records, so not as much information can be gained as was hoped.

INITIAL SMELTING

Date : November 12, 2005 (note that earlier records show this as 'October 2005'
Experiment :13/D7 (detailed notes on the DARC Iron series)
Location : Wareham, ON
Team : DARC
Furnace: Norse Short Shaft
- clay cob with stone slab support
- tap arch
Note - reuse of furnace from June 05
Size : 25 cm x 60 H
Source : suggested by earlier experiments
Tuyere : 25 mm ID ceramic kiln support
Placement : 16 cm from base
- about 5 cm in from wall
- angle at 20 down
Bellows : vacuum blower
Air : 600 l / min (estimated)
Charcoal : 79.5 kg broken hardwood
Consumption : about 2 kg charcoal every 10 minutes
Ore : Stelco taconite + Virginia Rock Ore
17 kg (roasted)
Sequence : ore added in variable sequence (7 - 10 min)
as small charges .75 - 2.25 lbs
Duration : about 6 1/4 hours (not including preheat)
Result : 4.3 kg bloom
Yield : 22 %
Notes : - Successful creation of historic sized bloom
- Success in patching and re-firing furnace

BLOOM TO BAR


My notes list an undated effort to forge down a portion of the November 2005 bloom. These seem to indicate the main part of the bloom was cut into two sections, one at 1.70 kg, one at 1.86 kg, the remainder of the mass as smaller fragments. The 1.70 kg piece was forged down into the working bar seen above. The notes list the resulting bar at roughly 2 x 3 by 34 cm, but do not give the finished weight.


This is the completed currency bar. The finished weight is 895 gms. The size is in the range of the artifact samples : 15 x 15 mm (widest portion 18 x 18) by 525 mm long.


This is a close up of the flattened end of the bar. The 'paddle' is 110 mm long, and roughly 32 mm wide. It tapers slightly from 5mm thick at the base to 3 mm at the tip.


A close up of the bar end. I developed the runic mark seen for use on DARC replica objects. In five strokes it combines all the letters for DARC, both in Roman and Norse characters.

The starting billet could perhaps have used one additional consolidation weld. There is some cracking along the straight corners of the bar as a result. The flattening step held together very well however, a step added in the Viking Age as a quality check. Overall the quality of this bar is in the same range as I found when I created a set of replica bars for Parks Canada, using various antique wrought irons.

Replica Currency Bars - for L'Anse aux Meadows NHSC, 2001

Vinland at Wareham

What you will find at the DARC Viking Age presentation - Saturday June 12 (10a-4p):

This drawing roughly to scale 1/4" : 5'
light green - cut pathways
mid green - long grass
dark green - trees
white - fixed structures
pink - presentation areas

The physical layout being used is an attempt to duplicate the kinds of spaces that will be available to us at L'Anse aux Meadows NHSC. The large 'ship shelter' overhead (#5) takes the place of the main turf hall at LAM. Our 'cooking shelter' (#2) takes the place of the small dwelling hut. Our 'smelter shelter (#6) is the same size as the furnace hut.

Visitors are asked to abide by the following:

1) PARKING - Safest is along the N-S roadway (Sideroad 40) to the EAST of the grounds (right hand on drawing). Please leave the entrance drive clear.

2) WASHROOMS - There is a pit outhouse at the rear of the grounds. A port'a'john will be placed at the entry (# 7).

3) It is suggested you stay to the cut pathways. Remember this is a rural location (think of a hacked back field, not a suburban grass yard). Bare feet is a bad idea.

4) The pond is NOT FENCED - APPROACH AT YOUR OWN RISK. The banks on the north and east sides are steep and drop off to deep water.

5) DOGS ON LEASHES ONLY. There are three cats in the household. Their demands take precedence over any visiting animals!

6) Please, no historic costume for visitors.

7) There is NO PUBLIC ACCESS TO HOUSE OR WORKSHOP

ANY VISITORS ATTEND THIS EVENT AT THEIR OWN RISK


Please consider supporting the ongoing research and educational efforts of DARC by either making a donation, or purchasing one of the training DVDs / research CD-ROMs or Viking Game.

Vinland at Wareham

What you will find when you come to Wareham for the Vinland presentation on June 12.