A Viking explorer credited with beating Columbus in discovering North America has been honoured in Lewis.
A bronze bust of Leif Erikson has been presented to island to celebrate their Norse heritage and his connection with the isles.
The famed adventurer Norseman is hailed by his American Scandinavian ancestors as being the first European to set foot on North America, some 500 years before Christopher Columbus.
Representatives from the Seattle-
The foundation’s mission is to secure “Leif Erikson’s place in history, support Scandinavian activities and culture, and build bridges between Scandinavia and America.”
They donated a bronze bust of Erikson to Uig Historical Society in Lewis where all the main place names have strong Old Norse influences.
It sits in a spot across the bay from where the world famous Lewis Chessmen Viking treasure trove was found.
Leif Erikson was born in Iceland but raised in Greenland.
Aged 24 years, he left his homeland for Norway an explorer and returned as an evangelist to covert his people to Christianity.
On his outbound voyage around 999AD, his longship sailed off course and he landed in the Western Isles.
Poor weather prevented him leaving for weeks during which time he got Thorgunna, the daughter of a Norse warrior chief, pregnant with his son.
Two years later, Erikson sailed from Greenland to seek lands said to lie beyond the western horizon.
He landed in Canada and claimed ownership of what is now Newfoundland.
Evidence of Viking settlements prove the Norse were the first European explorers to reach America.
Later, he succeed his father as chieftain of Greenland.
Kristine Leander, president of the Leif Erikson International Foundation, said: “The sagas say he got blown off course on his way to Norway.
“He spent a summer here (in the Hebrides) and we think that's pretty terrific.”
Ms Leander added: “We think Leif Erikson as our symbolic ancestor -
“He was the first recorded European to set foot on American shores and that‘s pretty exciting.”
The original Leif Erikson statue was a gift to Seattle from the immigrant families in the Norwegian American community.
The foundation has erected other statues in his memory in Norway, Greenland and Canada
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Viking explorer honoured in Lewis
12 August 2018
