Canada's Red Bay Project proves Basque whalers visited Labrador in the 16th century

Submitted by Milica on Mon, 2008-04-28 17:22
A new report by the Canadian government gives a detailed picture of Basque whaling and shipbuilding in 16th century Red Bay, Labrador. The report discusses artifacts discovered on the San Juan, a galeon sunk in 1565 and recently excavated.

From the report:

For a good part of the 16th century, the Basques engaged in the whaling industry on Canada's East Coast. Years of archival research by historical geographer Dr. Selma Barkham helped identify Red Bay, Labrador, as a site of intense Basque activity. Red Bay was the largest shore whaling station, where vestiges of the Basque presence tell a compelling story of commerce and courage.