INTO THE NEW WORLD OREGON (Bronze)

The Viking ships were used to discover, colonize and conquer: They were slender long-ships with symmetrical ends. They were built with overlapping planks that were riveted together. They usually had a dragon head at the bow and the stern They traveled to areas such as Iceland, Greenland, Newfoundland, the Mediterranean and Africa.
 
With the colonization of Iceland and Greenland by Erik the Red who settled in Greenland in 985 AD on a more inhabit- able coastline, there was a need to expand their food sources. They traveled up the coast during the summer months to central Greenland where they discovered Disko Bay. They found Disko Bay to be a rich source of Walruses for ivory, seals for their pelts, and whales for a variety of materials. The Vikings were always in search of falcons. Within this Viking ship, Ruben has incorporated the image of the dragon motif, and the deco- rative motifs in the weather vanes used in Viking ships. The decorative ele- ments from the weather vane are spread across the whole of the ship with the de- signs of the polar bear and young and falcon and young to represent the animals that the Vikings so eagerly sought.