NEWS ON THE WEB
Smithsonian Web-site: Vikings - The North Atlantic Saga
The Smithsonian exhibit has had great reviews and they continue to add to their website at http://www.mnh.si.edu/vikings/start.html. The companion book edited by William W. Fitzhugh and Elizabeth I. Ward is deemed worthy of Viking Age scholar's and enthusiasts' bookshelves, even though it lacks photos of some of the exhibit's items. Be certain to abtain a copy of Vikings: the North Atlantic Saga, William W. Fitzhugh and Elizabeth I. Ward, ed., Smithsonian Institution Press. Washington D.C., 2000. ISBN: 1-56098-970-x (cloth); 1-56098-995-5 (paper). Check the bookstore websites for discount pricing. I'm still reading the book and so far I've found a lot to like. Also check the Smithsonian's calender link for the travelling exhibit's dates and locations, currently as follows:

• American Museum of Natural History, New York City - October 21, 2000 to January 20, 2001
• Denver Museum of Nature and Science, Denver - March 2, 2001 to May 31, 2001
• Houston Museum of Natural Science, Houston - July 13 to October 14, 2001
• Los Angeles County Museum, Los Angeles - November 23, 2001 to March 16, 2002
• Canadian Museum of Civilization, Ottawa/Hull - May 16 to October 14, 2002

Ruins May Be Sweden's Oldest Pre-Christian Temple
Not really a Viking Age Story. At http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20000820/wl/sweden_temple_dc_1.html, Reuters reported on the opening of a site thought to be Sweden's first pre-Christian temple or crematorium to public viewing on August 20th. The pentagon-shaped building excavated near a known burial site at Vasterhaninge 18 miles south of Stockholm is believed to date back to the early iron age in Sweden. Very close to this report is a similar story is at CNN, the details are different but it does sound like the same site.

Viking's Voyage to L'Anse aux Meadows
CNN reports on the Islendingur's arrival in Newfoundland. http://www.cnn.com/2000/WORLD/americas/07/28/canada.viking/ . See Fox's coverage at http://www.foxnews.com/etcetera/0729/e_rt_0729_1.sml. Discovery.com also covers this story at http://www.discovery.com/news/briefs/20000823/hi_ap_temple.html and CNN covers it at http://www.cnn.com/2000/WORLD/europe/08/22/sweden.ironage.ap/index.html. The New Haven Register has a listing of the Islendingur's vistit to New Haven, CT.

Icelandic Work
In Iceland a sacrificial site and an underground passage have been found. See the story from Icelandic Review's "Daily News from Iceland" on July 24th. The tunnel at Snorri Sturluson's homesite wasn't found but debris there was dated. The details about the sacrificial area near Höfn follow at the same URL

University College Genetics Studies
The BBC has a couple articles on a genetic study starting in the UK at Hunt on for British Vikings and TV hunt for Viking Bloodline

Viking Traders, Viking Raiders
Discovering Archaeology has a heads up on their web edition "The Real Viking Legacy - Trade not terror, was the Hallmark of the Norse" that mentions details to be in their Sept./Oct. Print edition. Hoards on the Swedish Island of Gotland are mentioned with Dan Carlsson and Canadian finds are Robert McGhee's work. Part of the Smithsonian's exhibit calender is also mentioned. The article is mirrored at Fox News

Gotland Treasure
The Independant reports a 9th century hoard of 70 kg of silver found under what's estimated to be the floorboards of a house. Conservation in underway and the find is expected to be on display at Gotland's Historical Museum next year. (For some reason there is a mirror of this article at http://www.sightings.com/general3/treasure.htm.)