Uploaded July 2018 | Updated September 2026, 32 minutes ago
Presented at Balticon, May 25, 2018.
Did Viking explorer Leif Erikson really encounter Bigfoot in the New World? In this compelling and thoroughly researched presentation, Dr. Eve Siebert, medievalist and noted public skeptic, investigates the persistent pseudohistorical claim that Norse explorers met Sasquatch in North America. Through historical, literary, and folkloric analysis, she demonstrates how this myth took root—not in Viking sagas—but in modern pop culture, misinterpretations, and outright fiction.
Dr. Siebert applies the tools of skepticism and historical scholarship to reveal how false narratives are constructed when people rely on secondary sources, paraphrased quotes, and fictionalized retellings rather than primary texts. The result is an eye-opening case study in critical thinking, scientific literacy, and the allure of the paranormal.
In This Video:
Where the Bigfoot-Viking Story Came From: The idea that Leif Erikson encountered Bigfoot in 1001 AD, often claimed to have happened in “Markland,” is traced back to books like Claws, Jaws and Dinosaurs and other pseudoscientific sources that misrepresent both Viking history and the origins of the Bigfoot legend.
Dr. Siebert clarifies that the modern image of Bigfoot as a large, ape-like, non-human creature didn’t emerge until the 1950s. Earlier indigenous legends of Sasquatch described human-like beings who wore clothing, used tools, and could speak—quite different from today’s cryptid.
She examines fringe theories, including one from online commentator “Doc Vega” that claims Leif Erikson’s men had a UFO encounter and then fought “Vendela”, a proto-Bigfoot species. This tale, however, draws from Michael Crichton’s Eaters of the Dead and its film adaptation, The 13th Warrior... fiction, not history.
A 1994 episode of A&E’s Ancient Mysteries adds a veneer of credibility to the claim by quoting sagas inaccurately and dating Erikson’s voyage to 986 AD, a date that actually refers to Erik the Red’s settlement of Greenland, not Leif’s explorations.
The Norse sagas, which were transmitted orally and only written down centuries later, make no mention of Leif Erikson encountering any indigenous people or creatures in Vinland. There is no evidence he kept a journal, and the supposed quote about “ugly, hairy, swarthy people with great black eyes” is a distorted paraphrase from much later historical interpretations.
The term “Skraeling,” used by Norse explorers for native peoples, has been misapplied in cryptozoological literature to describe Bigfoot. Dr. Siebert points to how Peter Byrne’s 1975 book The Search for Bigfoot incorrectly cited historian Samuel Eliot Morison’s paraphrase as direct saga evidence, an error that has propagated for decades.
The Real Mystery Creature? While the sagas don’t support a Bigfoot encounter, they do mention a strange “uniped” creature that kills Thorvald. This mythical being is at least rooted in the original saga text, unlike the misidentified Bigfoot narrative.
Dr. Siebert concludes by stressing the importance of returning to primary sources and applying critical analysis to extraordinary claims. This talk is a vital reminder of how myths take on new life when fiction, misunderstanding, and a lack of skepticism collide.
About the Speaker: Dr. Eve Siebert is a scholar of medieval English literature and an advocate for public skepticism. She is a longtime contributor to Skeptical Inquirer magazine and a member of the “Skeptical Humanities” project. Her work often explores the intersection of medieval history, popular culture, and pseudoscientific claims. With a Ph.D. in English and a passion for promoting evidence-based thinking, Dr. Siebert brings scholarly rigor to modern myths and misinformation.
The views expressed in this presentation are those of the speaker and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Capital Area Skeptics (NCAS).
Hashtags:
#EveSiebert #Bigfoot #Vikings #LeifErikson #NorseSagas #Cryptozoology #Pseudoscience #Skepticism #CriticalThinking #SkepticalHumanities #ScienceEducation #Pseudohistory #MedievalStudies #DebunkingMyths #ScienceLiteracy #SagaMyths #AncientMysteriesDebunked #Sasquatch #Skraelings #Vinland #FactChecking #SkepticalInquiry #ParanormalSkepticism #ScienceVsMyths #HistoricalMyths #Misinterpretation #Mythbusting #SkepticCommunity #FictionVsFact #PublicSkepticism #AcademicSkepticism #CryptoDebunked #HistoryChannelMyths #ScienceAndReason #Uniped #OralTradition #PrimarySources #FantasyVsHistory #NCAS #NationalCapitalAreaSkeptics
Presented at Balticon, May 25, 2018.
Did Viking explorer Leif Erikson really encounter Bigfoot in the New World? In this compelling and thoroughly researched presentation, Dr. Eve Siebert, medievalist and noted public skeptic, investigates the persistent pseudohistorical claim that Norse explorers met Sasquatch in North America. Through historical, literary, and folkloric analysis, she demonstrates how this myth took root—not in Viking sagas—but in modern pop culture, misinterpretations, and outright fiction.
Dr. Siebert applies the tools of skepticism and historical scholarship to reveal how false narratives are constructed when people rely on secondary sources, paraphrased quotes, and fictionalized retellings rather than primary texts. The result is an eye-opening case study in critical thinking, scientific literacy, and the allure of the paranormal.
In This Video:
Where the Bigfoot-Viking Story Came From: The idea that Leif Erikson encountered Bigfoot in 1001 AD, often claimed to have happened in “Markland,” is traced back to books like Claws, Jaws and Dinosaurs and other pseudoscientific sources that misrepresent both Viking history and the origins of the Bigfoot legend.
Dr. Siebert clarifies that the modern image of Bigfoot as a large, ape-like, non-human creature didn’t emerge until the 1950s. Earlier indigenous legends of Sasquatch described human-like beings who wore clothing, used tools, and could speak—quite different from today’s cryptid.
She examines fringe theories, including one from online commentator “Doc Vega” that claims Leif Erikson’s men had a UFO encounter and then fought “Vendela”, a proto-Bigfoot species. This tale, however, draws from Michael Crichton’s Eaters of the Dead and its film adaptation, The 13th Warrior... fiction, not history.
A 1994 episode of A&E’s Ancient Mysteries adds a veneer of credibility to the claim by quoting sagas inaccurately and dating Erikson’s voyage to 986 AD, a date that actually refers to Erik the Red’s settlement of Greenland, not Leif’s explorations.
The Norse sagas, which were transmitted orally and only written down centuries later, make no mention of Leif Erikson encountering any indigenous people or creatures in Vinland. There is no evidence he kept a journal, and the supposed quote about “ugly, hairy, swarthy people with great black eyes” is a distorted paraphrase from much later historical interpretations.
The term “Skraeling,” used by Norse explorers for native peoples, has been misapplied in cryptozoological literature to describe Bigfoot. Dr. Siebert points to how Peter Byrne’s 1975 book The Search for Bigfoot incorrectly cited historian Samuel Eliot Morison’s paraphrase as direct saga evidence, an error that has propagated for decades.
The Real Mystery Creature? While the sagas don’t support a Bigfoot encounter, they do mention a strange “uniped” creature that kills Thorvald. This mythical being is at least rooted in the original saga text, unlike the misidentified Bigfoot narrative.
Dr. Siebert concludes by stressing the importance of returning to primary sources and applying critical analysis to extraordinary claims. This talk is a vital reminder of how myths take on new life when fiction, misunderstanding, and a lack of skepticism collide.
About the Speaker: Dr. Eve Siebert is a scholar of medieval English literature and an advocate for public skepticism. She is a longtime contributor to Skeptical Inquirer magazine and a member of the “Skeptical Humanities” project. Her work often explores the intersection of medieval history, popular culture, and pseudoscientific claims. With a Ph.D. in English and a passion for promoting evidence-based thinking, Dr. Siebert brings scholarly rigor to modern myths and misinformation.
The views expressed in this presentation are those of the speaker and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Capital Area Skeptics (NCAS).
Hashtags:
#EveSiebert #Bigfoot #Vikings #LeifErikson #NorseSagas #Cryptozoology #Pseudoscience #Skepticism #CriticalThinking #SkepticalHumanities #ScienceEducation #Pseudohistory #MedievalStudies #DebunkingMyths #ScienceLiteracy #SagaMyths #AncientMysteriesDebunked #Sasquatch #Skraelings #Vinland #FactChecking #SkepticalInquiry #ParanormalSkepticism #ScienceVsMyths #HistoricalMyths #Misinterpretation #Mythbusting #SkepticCommunity #FictionVsFact #PublicSkepticism #AcademicSkepticism #CryptoDebunked #HistoryChannelMyths #ScienceAndReason #Uniped #OralTradition #PrimarySources #FantasyVsHistory #NCAS #NationalCapitalAreaSkeptics
