Carl Christian Rafn - Definition and Overview

Carl Christian Rafn (1795 - 1864) was a Danish archaeologist noted for his early advocacy of the theory that the Vikings had explored North America prior to Christopher Columbus.

Rafn was in particular interested in discovering the location of Vinland mentioned in Norse sagas. Rafn believed Vinland to have been in modern-day New England in the United States.

Rafn published much of his work in 1837 in the Antiquitates Americanæ.It is considered the first scholarly exposition of the Pre-Columbian Norse exploration theory. At the time of Rafn's research, the Norse sagas concerning Vinland were considered to be mere legends.

Rafn was partially vindicated in the 1960s by the discovery of the Viking settlement at L'Anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland.

See also

• Newport Tower
• Dighton Rock