America Unearthed (2012–…): Season 1, Episode 4 - Giants in Minnesota - full transcript

- PICKING UP SOMETHING
DOWN THERE.

- WAIT A MINUTE. HOLD IT.

WE GOT SOMETHING HERE.

- HOW MANY ITEMS
ARE DOWN THERE, LEONARD?

- THERE'S TWO THINGS
LAYING DOWN THERE.

- IS THAT THE WHOLE GRAVE SITE?

- YEAH.

RIGHT THERE IS THE END.

- THAT'D MAKE HIM 9 FEET.

COULD BE A GIANT.

- THE HISTORY THAT
WE WERE ALL TAUGHT GROWING UP



IS WRONG.

MY NAME IS SCOTT WOLTER,

AND I'M A FORENSIC GEOLOGIST.

THERE'S A HIDDEN HISTORY
IN THIS COUNTRY

THAT NOBODY KNOWS ABOUT.

THERE ARE PYRAMIDS HERE...

CHAMBERS, TOMBS, INSCRIPTIONS.

THEY'RE ALL OVER THIS COUNTRY.

WE'RE GOING TO INVESTIGATE
THESE ARTIFACTS AND SITES,

AND WE'RE GOING TO GET
TO THE TRUTH.

SOMETIMES HISTORY

ISN'T WHAT WE'VE BEEN TOLD.

AMERICA UNEARTHED - SEASON 1
EP - 4 - Giants in Minnesota

CONVENTIONAL HISTORY HOLDS



THAT THE VIKINGS EXPLORED
NORTH AMERICA

AS FAR AS NEWFOUNDLAND
IN 1000 A.D.

FOR DECADES,
PEOPLE IN MY HOME STATE

HAVE BELIEVED
THEY WENT FURTHER WEST,

COMING HERE TO MINNESOTA.

AND NOT JUST ANY VIKINGS...

GIANTS.

HEY, ROGER. HOW YOU DOING?

- HEY, SCOTT. GLAD TO MEET YOU.

- NICE TO FINALLY MEET YOU.

THANKS FOR INVITING ME OUT HERE.

- WELL, THANKS FOR COMING.

- TELL ME ABOUT THE SITUATION.

- WELL, I ACCIDENTALLY...

I WAS LOOKING FOR GRAVEL
TO BACKFILL MY...

MY BASEMENT WALL.

- OKAY.

- COULDN'T GET
TO THE GRAVEL PIT, YOU KNOW,

WITH THE GRAINFIELDS HERE.

SO I DECIDED TO FIND A PLACE
MYSELF

AND DIG FOR IT.

AND I RAN INTO BONES,
HUMAN BONES.

CALLED IN AUTHORITIES.

THEY CAME IN

AND DETERMINED
THEY WERE HUMAN BONES

AND THEY WERE VERY OLD.

- PROBABLY NATIVE AMERICAN,
RIGHT?

- TWO WERE NATIVE,

BUT THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE
INTERESTING IN THIS EQUATION.

WE FOUND ONE GUY IN THERE THAT...

HIS BONES WERE HUGE,

AND THEY EVEN COMMENTED

THAT IT WAS AN UNUSUALLY LARGE
MALE INDIVIDUAL.

- DID THE STATE ARCHAEOLOGIST
COME OUT THEN?

- THE STATE ARCHAEOLOGIST
GOT INVOLVED,

AND THE DYNAMIC
WAS TOTALLY DIFFERENT.

THEY WERE...

THEY WANTED
TO GET THIS THING BURIED

AS FAST AS POSSIBLE.

- REALLY?

WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT BIG BONES

AND A BIG...

WHAT YOU THINK IS A BIG MALE,

THIS IS REMINISCENT OF GIANTS.

I HAVE SOMETHING
I WANT TO SHOW YOU HERE.

IT'S AN ARTICLE
THAT TALKS ABOUT GIANTS

THAT WAS PUBLISHED
IN THE ST. PAUL PAPER IN 1888.

AND IT SAYS,
"A PREHISTORIC RACE,

"SEVEN GIGANTIC BODIES EXHUMED

WHILE DIGGING A WELL
NEAR CLEARWATER, MINNESOTA."

A RACE OF GIANTS,

AND THEY TALK ABOUT THEM BEING
7 TO 8 FEET TALL.

COULD YOUR GUY BE THAT BIG?

- OH, YEAH, YEAH.

HE'S... YEAH, HE IS. - OKAY.

- YEAH, WE'RE IN
THE SAME CATEGORY.

- WE'RE IN NORTHERN MINNESOTA.

YOU'RE PROBABLY FAMILIAR
WITH VIKING/NORSE HERITAGE

AND THE IDEA THAT THE NORSE
WERE HERE.

- OH, THERE'S NO DOUBT.

I'VE BEEN STUDYING THE NORSE
FOR YEARS

AND WHAT THEY DO
AND THE BURIAL MOUND SYSTEM.

ALL THIS IS NORSE TECHNOLOGY,
AND I TOLD THEM THAT.

- OKAY, ROGER,
SO WHERE IS THIS MOUND?

- THE MOUNDS ARE JUST ON
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CORNFIELD,

RIGHT ON THE EDGE
OF THE COON CREEK.

- OKAY, WELL, I'M ANXIOUS
TO GO TAKE A LOOK.

- LET'S DO IT. NEED YOUR HELP.

AND HERE WE ARE.

THAT'S WHERE THE BIG GUY
IS BURIED.

- RIGHT HERE, OKAY.
- RIGHT THERE.

HIS FEET ARE ABOUT APPROXIMATELY
RIGHT DOWN HERE IN THIS AREA.

HIS HEAD IS LOCATED
WAY UP HERE...

BY WHERE THAT STONE,
THAT MARKER IS.

- ROGER, LET'S MEASURE THIS.

TAKE THAT.

MM-KAY. - YEAH.

- WELL, HE'S ABOUT 8...
8 TO 9 FEET LONG.

- I'D SAY 8'6".

- THAT'S A BIG GUY.

WOW.

DIGGING HERE, YOU FIND BONES.

THE STATE REPRESENTATIVE

FOR THE NATIVE AMERICANS
COMES OUT.

AN ANTHROPOLOGIST FOR THE STATE
COMES OUT,

AND THEN WHAT HAPPENED?

DID THEY START DIGGING?

- THEY STARTED DOING
THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL DIG.

THEIR EYES GOT BIG
BECAUSE THIS GUY IS...

THIS GUY'S BONES...

I TORE HIS FEET OFF,

AND I TORE THE SHOULDERS
AND RIB CAGE

OF TWO OF THESE NATIVE GIRLS

THAT WERE SHOVED UP
AGAINST HIS FEET.

- THE ANTHROPOLOGIST SAID
THESE ARE FEMALE.

- THEY WERE NATIVE FEMALE.

THEY'RE LITTLE, PETITE,

AND THEY'RE IN
THE FETAL POSITION,

YOU KNOW, THEIR HANDS
OVER THEIR FACE.

- OKAY, DID THEY SAY

THAT THIS WAS A GIANT
OR THEY THOUGHT IT COULD BE?

OR WHAT EXACTLY DID THEY SAY?

- VERY, VERY LARGE MALE,

WELL OUT OF THE ORDINARY.

THERE WAS A LOT OF THESE GUYS
AROUND,

BUT THEY KEPT QUIET;
I DON'T KNOW WHY.

BUT THIS GUY WAS COVERED UP
AS FAST AS THEY COULD DO.

- SO IT SEEMED BIZARRE TO YOU.

THERE WAS SOMETHING NOT RIGHT
ABOUT IT.

- VERY BIZARRE, YES.

- WELL, BASED ON EVERYTHING
THAT I'VE HEARD SO FAR,

WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE TO ME IS,

YOU'RE SUGGESTING THERE'S
A COVER-UP GOING ON HERE.

- I DON'T SEE ANYWHERE WHY...

A REASON WHY
THERE IS NOT A COVER-UP.

I MEAN, IT'S SO OBVIOUS

THAT YOU GOT AN 8-FOOT GUY
SITTING THERE.

- ROGER, YOU MENTIONED THAT
THE BIG GUY

WAS 8 FEET LONG.

- YEP.

- HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT?

- WELL, AFTER WE COVERED
EVERYTHING UP

AND QUITE A WHILE LATER,
THE CURIOSITY GOT TO ME.

I HAD TO CALL IN A FRIEND
WHO WORKS THE COPPERS.

- THE COPPERS?

- WELL, IT'S THE COPPER...

HE'S TALENTED WITH THE...
WITH COPPERS.

WHEN YOU RUN OVER
BODIES OF WATER OR WHATEVER,

THEY'LL CROSS.

- OKAY, SO THIS IS WITCHING,
RIGHT?

DIVINING RODS?

- IT'S WITCHING,
WHAT YOU CALL WITCHING.

- WITCHING IS ALSO KNOWN
AS DOWSING OR DIVINING.

DIVINERS INSIST
THEY'RE ABLE TO DETECT

UNDERGROUND DISTURBANCES
THROUGH COPPER RODS

THEY HOLD IN THEIR HANDS.

THERE'S REALLY NO SCIENTIFIC
EXPLANATION FOR HOW IT WORKS,

BUT EVEN EINSTEIN BELIEVED
THAT IT DID.

THE PRACTICE DATES BACK
TO MEDIEVAL TIMES

WHEN PEOPLE
USED TO USE COPPER RODS

TO FIND EVERYTHING FROM WATER
TO ARTIFACTS TO BODIES.

- FOUND THE WHOLE GRAVE,
FROM HEAD TO TOE.

- HE FOUND THAT WITH HIS RODS.

- RIGHT.
JUST A LITTLE OVER 10 FEET LONG.

- HMM. I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT.

SCOTT WOLTER.

- LEONARD ENGEN.

- LEONARD, HOW ARE YOU DOING?

NICE TO MEET YOU. - ROGER.

- HEY, LEONARD.

- HOW DID YOU GET INTO...

- WELL, MY DAD COULD DO IT,

AND I WAS 16
WHEN I STARTED DOING IT,

AND I'M 70 NOW, SO...

- A LONG TIME.
- YEAH.

- WELL, I HAVE TO BE HONEST
WITH YOU, LEONARD.

I'M A LITTLE BIT SKEPTICAL.

I DO KNOW THAT
THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE

THAT DO BELIEVE IN THE RODS.

IN FACT, THEY ARE USED
FOR FINDING WATER WELLS.

I KNOW THAT THE OIL COMPANIES...

EVEN EINSTEIN HAD A THEORY

OF HOW THE ELECTROMAGNETIC
ENERGY

COULD BE CHANNELED
THROUGH THE HUMAN BODY

TO MAKE THE RODS CROSS.

BUT HAVING SAID THAT,

I HAVE AN IDEA,
AND IF YOU'RE UP FOR IT,

HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO
A LITTLE TEST FOR US?

- SURE. I'M GAME.

- I'VE GOT A KNIFE
ABOUT THIS LONG.

DO YOU THINK, IF I HID IT
ALONG THE GRASS HERE,

THAT YOU COULD FIND IT?

- OH, YEAH.

- SO I WANT YOU TO TURN AROUND.
- OKAY.

- ROGER, MAKE SURE
HE DOESN'T DO ANY PEEKING.

I JUST WANT TO DOUBLE-CHECK.

ARE THE RODS GONNA BE ABLE
TO CATCH THIS KNIFE?

- OH, YES.
- NO PROBLEM?

- NO PROBLEM.
- OKAY, HERE WE GO.

GOT TO MAKE A LITTLE BIT OF WORK
FOR HIM.

OKAY, LEONARD...

HAVE AT IT.

GOOD LUCK.

WHOA!

- YOU HID IT IN THE GRASS TOO,
DIDN'T YOU?

- AH, YOU FOUND IT.

- YEAH.
- WOW.

OBVIOUSLY,
THERE'S SOMETHING HERE.

WE'VE GOT WHAT APPEARS TO BE
A GIANT,

AND IF IT'S A GIANT,
IT CAN'T BE NATIVE AMERICAN.

IT MUST BE SOMEBODY ELSE,
MAYBE NORSE,

AND IF SO,

THEN THERE SHOULD BE
SOME OTHER RELATED ARTIFACTS.

THERE'S GOT TO BE
SOMETHING ELSE HERE.

WE CAN'T DIG HERE, RIGHT?

- ABSOLUTELY NOT.

NO DISTURBANCE HERE WHATSOEVER.

- OKAY, AND I CAN
APPRECIATE THAT,

BECAUSE THIS IS A NATIVE
AMERICAN SITE, FOR SURE.

DO WE HAVE SOME OTHER PLACES
WE COULD GO?

- YEAH, WE'RE REALLY LIMITED,
YOU KNOW,

IN THE CORNFIELD
AND WHAT'S GOING ON, ALL THIS.

WE'LL HAVE TO WORK IN MY YARD.

- OKAY, WANT TO GIVE IT A TRY
OVER THERE?

- SURE.
- ALL RIGHT, WELL, LET'S GO.

- LET'S DO IT.

- OKAY, ROGER, LEAD THE WAY.

- ALL RIGHT.

- LEONARD, DO YOUR THING.

WE GOT SOMETHING RIGHT HERE?

- YOU GOT SOMETHING HERE.

- RIGHT HERE?

IS THIS A CONTINUOUS THING?

- MM-HMM.

- COULD YOU RUN THIS WAY,
LEONARD?

- KIND OF PARALLELS
THE OLD FENCE.

- HOW MANY ITEMS ARE DOWN THERE,
LEONARD?

- THERE'S TWO THINGS
LAYING DOWN THERE.

- TWO DIFFERENT ANOMALIES, HUH?
RIGHT HERE?

- YEP.
- OKAY.

YOU'RE GETTING SOMETHING, HUH?

- MM-HMM.

- WE'VE GOT SOME HOT SPOTS HERE

THAT YOU SAID
THERE'S SOMETHING HERE, RIGHT?

THERE ARE ARTIFACTS HERE.

IF IT'S OKAY WITH YOU,

COULD WE DIG THESE UP?

- YEAH, IF IT'S UP TO ME,

YOU CAN DIG AS MUCH AS YOU WANT
AROUND HERE.

- OKAY,
I'VE GOT THE PERFECT GUY,

AND HE CAN COME BY TOMORROW.

WE'LL BE HERE BRIGHT AND EARLY.

- SOUNDS GOOD.

- SOUNDS GOOD.

- LET ME JUST TELL YOU
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT

WHAT HAPPENED SO FAR.

YOU KNOW, I WENT OUT
TO SEE ROGER.

AND HE'S AN INTERESTING GUY.

HE TOOK ME TO THESE
REALLY INCREDIBLE NATIVE MOUNDS.

AND HE HAD A FRIEND OF HIS,

A GUY BY THE NAME OF LEONARD,

WHO CAME OUT WITH DIVINING RODS

AND LOCATED WHAT THEY SAY
IS A GIANT IN THE GROUND.

AFTER THAT, WE WENT OUT
INTO HIS PROPERTY,

AND WE IDENTIFIED

A COUPLE OF OTHER INTERESTING
LOCATIONS

THAT THEY THINK
THERE'S SOMETHING IN THE GROUND

AND, YOU KNOW,
I'D LIKE YOU TO LOOK AT.

- I HAVE A GREAT INTEREST IN
PRE-COLUMBIAN CULTURE CONTACT.

YOU KNOW, THE ONE
PRE-COLUMBIAN CULTURE CONTACT

THAT WE KNOW HAPPENED FOR SURE

WAS THE CONTACT
WITH THE VIKINGS.

THE ONE KNOWN
PRE-COLUMBIAN VIKING SITE,

L'ANSE AUX MEADOWS
IN NEWFOUNDLAND,

THAT'S AN INCREDIBLE DISTANCE.

IN TERMS OF THEM BEING
HERE IN MINNESOTA,

I'M A LITTLE SKEPTICAL.

AND WE'LL SEE IF THERE'S A GIANT

ON ROGER'S PROPERTY.

- YOU KNOW, I DON'T EXPECT YOU

TO DRINK ALL
THE PRE-COLUMBIAN KOOL-AID.

YOU KNOW, TAKE THE SIPS
THAT YOU WANT,

BUT YOU'RE IN NORSE COUNTRY,

AND THERE ARE A LOT
OF SCANDINAVIAN IMMIGRANTS

HERE IN MINNESOTA.

AND THE LEGENDS AND THE STORIES

ABOUT THE ANCIENT NORSE
COMING TO MINNESOTA

ARE EVERYWHERE HERE.

I GET CALLS ROUTINELY...

PEOPLE THAT THINK
THEY HAVE RUNIC INSCRIPTIONS

OR SHIPS THAT THEY'VE FOUND,
YOU KNOW, VIKING SHIPS.

I MEAN,
EVEN THE MINNESOTA VIKINGS...

THE PRO FOOTBALL TEAM...

IS DUE TO THE LORE
AND THE LEGENDS.

- THAT'S INTERESTING.
- IT'S A BIG DEAL IN THIS AREA.

- IT'S A BIG PART
OF LOCAL CULTURE, OBVIOUSLY.

- ABSOLUTELY. NO QUESTION.

YOU KNOW, GIANTS MAY SEEM
LIKE A STRETCH,

BUT THERE COULD BE
SOME RELATED ARTIFACTS.

THERE'S GOT TO BE MORE HERE,

AND THAT'S WHY
I FELT IT WAS IMPORTANT

TO LOOK AT ROGER'S SITE.

- I'VE LEARNED ONE THING

IN ARCHAEOLOGY
IN THE LAST 15 YEARS,

IS THAT PRETTY MUCH NOTHING
IS IMPOSSIBLE.

- HEY, ROGER. HOW ARE YOU DOING?

GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.
- NICE TO SEE YOU.

- THIS IS MY FRIEND MIKE.
- HI, ROGER.

NICE TO MEET YOU.
I'M MIKE ARBUTHNOT.

- GLAD TO MEET YOU.

- THIS IS THE ARCHAEOLOGIST
I WAS TELLING YOU ABOUT.

- WELL, I THINK YOU'RE GONNA BE
PRETTY INTERESTED IN THIS SITE,

AND I'M GLAD TO HAVE YOU ABOARD.

COME ON. - PLEASE, SHOW ME.

- ALL RIGHT.
- LET'S DO IT.

- WELL, MIKE,
THIS IS ONE OF THE SITES

THAT WERE MARKED OUT YESTERDAY

BY ONE OF ROGER'S FRIENDS,
LEONARD,

WHO USED A TECHNIQUE
CALLED WATER WITCHING,

IS WHAT HE CALLED IT,

BUT THE COPPER RODS,
WHERE THEY WALK

AND THEN THEY CROSS
TO MARK A LOCATION.

- OH, DOWSING.
- DOWSING.

- SURE, YEAH,
DOWSING IS A LITTLE BIT

OF AN UNCONVENTIONAL
ARCHAEOLOGICAL METHOD,

BUT NOWADAYS, ARCHAEOLOGISTS
HAVE A WHOLE ARSENAL

OF REMOTE-SENSING TOOLS
THAT THEY CAN USE.

OUT HERE, IF WE'RE LOOKING

FOR VIKING OR SCANDINAVIAN
OCCUPATION,

I WOULD THINK
THAT A METAL DETECTOR

WOULD WORK BEST HERE

BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT'S GONNA

SET THE VIKINGS APART
FROM THE NATIVE AMERICANS.

THEY'RE GONNA HAVE IRON.
THEY'RE GONNA HAVE...

THEY WILL HAVE LEFT SLAG,
POSSIBLY BRONZE.

SO WE'RE LOOKING FOR METALS.

- WHAT WOULD HAPPEN
IF WE FOUND HUMAN REMAINS?

- YEAH, GOT TO CALL
THE MEDICAL EXAMINER.

DEPENDING ON HOW OLD THEY ARE,

WE MIGHT HAVE TO BRING

THE STATE ARCHAEOLOGIST
OUT HERE.

WE MIGHT HAVE TO BRING

A NATIVE AMERICAN
REPRESENTATIVE.

IT'S LIKE A CAN OF WORMS
THAT WE WANT TO AVOID

AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

- WHAT DO WE DO NEXT?

- YEAH, LET ME GET MY TOOLS...

THE METAL DETECTOR,
THE SCREEN, AND THE PIN FLAGS...

AND WE'LL SET UP A GRID
AND START A SURVEY.

THIS IS A GOOD SPOT RIGHT HERE.

IF I WAS A VIKING,

THIS IS WHERE
I WOULD WANT TO CAMP OUT.

SO WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO

IS RUN
THE METAL DETECTOR SURVEY,

AND WE'LL SET UP A GRID.

WE'LL LABEL OUR TRANSECT LINES

"A," "B," "C," "D," AND SO ON.

AND I WILL SWEEP
THE METAL DETECTOR

BACK AND FORTH,
AND IF WE GET A HIT,

WE'LL PUT A PIN FLAG
IN THE GROUND,

AND THEN THAT'S WHERE WE'LL DIG.

OKAY, YEAH, WE'RE ABOUT
20 DEGREES OFF NORTH.

PERFECT.

LET'S DO IT.

GOT ONE RIGHT HERE.

SCOTT, CAN YOU FLAG THAT?

- RIGHT ABOUT HERE?
- YEAH.

- OKAY.

- GOT ONE RIGHT THERE.

ROGER?

THANK YOU.

HERE WE GO. RIGHT THERE.

THERE WE GO.

ANOTHER.

- WE GOT A BUNCH OF SITES
LOCATED HERE.

WE LOOKED AT IT WITH LEONARD,

AND NOW CAN YOU SHOW US
WHAT WE MIGHT WANT TO DO HERE?

- THESE ARE ALL
MAGNETIC TARGETS,

SO WE DON'T KNOW
WHAT'S IN THE GROUND YET,

AND THAT'S WHAT
WE'RE GONNA FIND OUT.

- HOLD ON A SEC. IS THAT BONE?

MIKE? WE GOT BONE HERE.

PRETTY SURE THAT'S BONE.

- YEP, IT SURE IS.

OH, WOW.

AND IT LOOKS LIKE

IT'S ACTUALLY, POTENTIALLY,
BEEN CUT.

- RIGHT THERE, YEAH.

- YEAH, THERE ARE SOME...
SOME MARKS.

DO YOU KNOW
WHERE THAT CAME OUT OF

IN THE WALL?

- ON THIS SIDE HERE.
- THIS SIDE?

- I HAVE A HAND LENS.
SHOULD I GRAB THAT?

- UH, YEAH.
- OKAY.

- YEAH, GO FOR IT.

ALL RIGHT.

WE'RE ONLY 29 CENTIMETERS DEEP.

SO I THINK WE'RE STILL
IN THE DISTURBED PLOW ZONE.

- WELL, IT DEFINITELY
HAS CUT MARKS ON IT.

I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT ABOUT THAT.

- YEAH, I THINK
IT'S BUTCHERED BONE.

- YEAH.
- I THINK IT'S A RIB.

THIS WAS SOMEBODY'S DINNER
MAYBE 50 TO 100 YEARS AGO.

- OR MAYBE LONGER, POSSIBLY?

- OR... POSSIBLY.
IT COULD BE NATIVE AMERICAN.

YOU COULD PROBABLY FIGURE IT OUT

BY LOOKING REALLY CAREFULLY
AT THESE CUT MARKS

AND DETERMINING
WHETHER IT WAS MADE

BY A METAL TOOL OR A STONE TOOL.

- SURE, SURE.

- HEY, SCOTT, COME OVER HERE.

- WHAT'S UP, ROGER?

- WELL, SCOTT,
WE GOT A LOT MORE EVIDENCE

UP AROUND THIS AREA
THAN JUST HERE.

THIS LADY GAVE ME PICTURES
THAT HER FAMILY FOUND.

- THIS IS A SWORD.
- EXACTLY.

- WHERE DID THIS COME FROM?

- 12 MILES SOUTH OF HERE.

- IT WAS FOUND UP HERE.

- FOUND UP HERE AROUND 1900,
A LITTLE LATER.

- 1900?

- AROUND THAT AREA.

- YOU'RE KIDDING ME. WOW.

I'M GONNA LET MIKE KEEP DIGGING,

BUT I'VE GOT TO CHECK THIS OUT
FIRST THING IN THE MORNING.

- MOST PEOPLE
WOULD LOOK AT CLAIMS

OF VIKING SWORDS
AND NORSE GIANTS IN MINNESOTA

AND LAUGH,

BUT TO ME, THERE'S MORE
THAN JUST LEGEND HERE.

IN 2000, I STUDIED AN ARTIFACT

CALLED
THE KENSINGTON RUNE STONE,

WHICH DETAILS
A VOYAGE TO MINNESOTA

BY A PARTY OF NORSE IN 1362,

MORE THAN A CENTURY
BEFORE COLUMBUS.

AND THE GEOLOGY OF THE STONE
PROVES TO ME

IT'S GENUINE.

THE RUNE STONE
IS WHAT STARTED ME ON A MISSION

TO EXAMINE SITES AND ARTIFACTS
ALL AROUND THE U.S.

THAT HAVE BEEN DISMISSED
AS HOAXES.

IT'S WHY I WANT
TO HELP ROGER SAKER

AND WHY I NEED
TO GET TO THE BOTTOM

OF THE MYSTERIOUS SWORD
HE SHOWED ME A PICTURE OF.

I'M IN THE AREA HERE
LOOKING INTO THE POSSIBILITY

OF A NORSE PRESENCE HERE
BACK SEVERAL CENTURIES AGO,

AND I SPENT SOME TIME
OUT AT ROGER SAKER'S FARM.

LATER IN THE DAY,
HE PULLED ME ASIDE

AND SHOWED ME
SOME VERY INTERESTING PICTURES

OF AN ARTIFACT THAT I UNDERSTAND

YOU KNOW
A LITTLE SOMETHING ABOUT.

- THAT'S CORRECT.

- CAN YOU TELL ME SOMETHING
ABOUT THIS SWORD?

- IT WAS FOUND
WHILE THEY WERE PLOWING.

- DO YOU HAVE IT HERE?

- YES, I HAVE IT HERE.
- OH, GOOD.

- WOW. HEAVY.

- YEAH, IT'S HEAVY.
- RIGHT.

- WHO FOUND IT?

- IT WOULD BE HANS HANSEN...
- OKAY.

- THAT FOUND IT

3 MILES WEST OF ULEN, MINNESOTA,

WHEN HE WAS PLOWING IN 1911.

HE WAS THE FIRST ONE
TO PLOW THAT LAND,

BECAUSE HE CAME FROM NORWAY.

- OKAY, SO HE HOMESTEADED
THE LAND, ALL RIGHT.

- RIGHT, WHEN HE PLOWED
A LITTLE DEEPER,

AND HE HEARD A NOISE...

- HOW DEEP DO YOU THINK
WE'RE TALKING?

IS THIS A FOOT,
2 FEET IN THE GROUND?

- I WOULD PROBABLY SAY
6 TO 8 INCHES AT THE MOST.

- OKAY, SO RELATIVELY SHALLOW.

- IT WAS RELATIVELY SHALLOW.
- OKAY.

WE'VE GOT A SYMBOL HERE.

I DON'T KNOW
WHAT THE HECK THAT IS,

BUT IT DOES LOOK
VERY INTERESTING.

THIS IS A VERY UNIQUE SWORD.

THE STYLE, OBVIOUSLY,

WILL TELL US SOMETHING
ABOUT ITS AGE.

HAVE YOU HEARD
ANYTHING ABOUT THAT,

ANYBODY'S WEIGHED IN
ON THE POSSIBLE AGE?

- IT HAD A RESEMBLANCE
TO SWORDS OF THE 14TH CENTURY.

COPIES AND INSCRIPTION

WAS FOUND ON
THE UPPSALA CATHEDRAL

IN SWEDEN,

THE WHOLE SWORD,
VERY SIMILAR TO THAT.

- STYLE-WISE, RIGHT?

- STYLE-WISE, YEAH.
- OKAY.

ONE OF THE REASONS
THAT I'M VERY INTERESTED

IN THIS SWORD...

I'M CURIOUS
ABOUT THE ASSOCIATION

OR POSSIBLE ASSOCIATION
WITH THE KENSINGTON RUNE STONE,

WHICH IS
A 14TH-CENTURY ARTIFACT,

AND THIS COULD BE
RELATED EVIDENCE, POSSIBLY,

FROM THAT NORSE PARTY.

I DO KNOW SOME PEOPLE
THAT COULD HELP US.

AND, YOU KNOW, JUST DOING
A GENERAL EXAMINATION,

SOMETIMES YOU FIND THINGS
YOU NEVER EXPECTED,

SO I THINK WE CAN LEARN
SOME MORE ABOUT THIS SWORD.

- SCOTT, BEFORE YOU GO,

I KNOW YOU'RE INTERESTED
IN ALL THESE ARTIFACTS,

AND WE HAVE PART OF A ROCK
THAT HAD BEEN BLASTED.

THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THAT LAND

THOUGHT HE SAW
SOME WRITING ON IT.

- WRITING?

- YEAH, ONE LOOKED LIKE
A HOOKED "X" OR SOMETHING.

- A HOOKED "X"?
- YEAH.

- WE HAVE A POSSIBLE INSCRIPTION

THAT HAS A HOOKED "X."

THE RUNE STONE
HAS THE HOOKED "X."

OBVIOUSLY, YOU CAN SEE
WHY THAT INTRIGUES ME.

ONE OF THE REASONS
THAT I'M VERY INTERESTED IS,

OBVIOUSLY, I'M CURIOUS
ABOUT THE ASSOCIATION

OR POSSIBLE ASSOCIATION
WITH GIANTS,

MEDIEVAL NORSE,
OR VIKING-AGE NORSE,

WHOEVER IT MIGHT BE.

THERE WAS AN INSCRIPTION ON IT,

AND HE BLASTED THE ROCK...

- YEAH.
- FOR FOUNDATION?

- HE WANTED IT
FOR FOUNDATION STONE.

HE WAS NOT INTERESTED IN
THE HISTORY AND WHATEVER, SO...

- I DON'T SEE ANYTHING HERE,

SO THERE'S EITHER GONNA BE

SOMETHING ON THE ROCK
OR IN THE FOUNDATION.

THIS IS GREAT.

WELL, WE'VE GOT A SWORD;
NOW WE HAVE A ROCK

WITH A POSSIBLE INSCRIPTION
WITH A HOOKED "X."

- YEP.

- IS THERE ANY CHANCE
WE COULD TAKE A LOOK AT THIS?

- SURE.
I KNOW WHERE THE PLACE IS.

- WELL, THE SOONER THE BETTER,

AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED.

- YEAH.

- FIRST, I WANT TO SEE

THE SOURCE ROCK
FOR THIS FOUNDATION STONE.

IF THIS ROCK YOU'RE TAKING ME TO

HAS ANY CHARACTERISTIC MARKS,

IT'LL HELP ME IDENTIFY
THE ROCK WE'RE LOOKING FOR

IN THE FOUNDATION.

- IT SHOULD BE OFF TO THE LEFT.

- THERE'S A ROCK DOWN THERE.

- OH, THAT MUST BE IT.

- ALL RIGHT.
WELL, HERE'S YOUR BOULDER.

- WATCH OUT FOR THE FENCE.

- RIGHT THERE...
- THERE WE GO.

- THAT IS A MASSIVE BOULDER.

LOOK AT THIS.

IT GOES ALL THE WAY OVER HERE.

COUPLE THINGS HERE.

SEE THIS FLAT SURFACE HERE?

- YEAH.

- AND IF YOU LOOK
AT A LOW ANGLE,

YOU CAN SEE THAT
THERE ARE SCRATCHES ON IT.

THOSE ARE GLACIAL STRIATIONS.

IN THE DISTANT PAST,

WHEN THIS THING WAS STILL
PART OF THE BEDROCK,

BUT IT WASN'T HERE...

IT WAS HUNDREDS OF MILES
UP NORTH.

THERE'S DEFINITELY EVIDENCE
THAT THIS ROCK WAS BLASTED.

THE OTHER THING IS,
I KNOW WHAT THIS ROCK IS NOW,

AND IT HAS A VERY UNIQUE
STEPPED FRACTURE PATTERN HERE,

SO IF I'M ABLE TO GO OVER
TO THE FOUNDATION,

I KNOW WHAT ROCK TO LOOK FOR.

AND IF THEY CARVED
ON THE GLACIAL SURFACE,

I'LL SEE THOSE STRIATIONS.

DO YOU THINK HE'D LET ME
GO THROUGH HIS FOUNDATION

AND TAKE A LOOK?

- OH, I'M SURE HE WOULD.

- OKAY, AND WHAT IS HIS NAME?

- TED HASELRUD.

- HI, THERE.
- HI.

- MY NAME IS SCOTT WOLTER.

- YEAH, TED HASELRUD.

- I LOOKED AT A STONE
OUT IN A FIELD HERE,

AND I HEARD THAT IT WAS BLASTED

TO HELP MAKE A FOUNDATION
FOR A HOUSE NEARBY, AND...

- YOU WANT TO LOOK AT HER?

- I WOULD LOVE TO LOOK AT IT.

I TAKE IT IT'S NEARBY?

- YEAH, IT'S BACK HERE.
- OKAY.

HOW OLD IS THIS HOUSE
WITH THE STONE FOUNDATION?

- BOY, I DON'T KNOW.

I WOULDN'T HAVE
THE SLIGHTEST IDEA.

- SO IT PREDATES YOU BEING HERE,
OBVIOUSLY.

- YEAH.
- OKAY.

- A LONG TIME, I SUPPOSE.

- OH, HOLY COW.

IS THIS IT HERE? - YEAH.

- WELL, THAT'S KIND OF
IN TOUGH SHAPE THERE, TED.

- DAMN RIGHT.

- I SEE CONCRETE RIGHT HERE.

I THINK I SEE SOME BOULDERS
HERE.

GOD, I WOULD LOVE TO RUMMAGE
AROUND DOWN IN THERE,

BUT I DON'T THINK
I WANT TO GO IN THERE.

- YEAH, I DON'T THINK SO.

- THIS IS TOO DANGEROUS.

- WELL, THEY'RE GONNA
TEAR IT DOWN.

- IS THIS GONNA HAPPEN
IN THE NEAR FUTURE?

- YEAH, NEXT FEW DAYS.

- IS THERE A CHANCE YOU COULD
CALL ME ON MY CELL PHONE?

- YEAH.
- OH, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.

I WOULD LOVE TO GET IN THERE
AND LOOK AT THOSE BOULDERS.

I MEAN, WHO KNOWS
WHAT ELSE IS IN HERE?

I SAY, GO FOR IT.
LET'S TEAR IT DOWN.

- OKAY.

- IF I CAN FIND A RUNIC CARVING,
LIKE A HOOKED "X,"

ON PIECES OF THE STONES

USED FOR THE ABANDONED
FARMHOUSE FOUNDATION

AT TED HASELRUD'S,
I'D BE ONE STEP CLOSER

TO PROVING SOME OF
THE NORSE LEGENDS HERE ARE TRUE.

DEPENDING ON WHAT MIKE FOUND
AT THE SAKER FARM TODAY,

ROGER'S GIANT
COULD ALSO BE A CLUE

TO A LARGER HABITATION SITE
OF THE VIKINGS.

HEY, MIKE.

- HEY, SCOTT. GOOD TO SEE YOU.

- AND I THOUGHT I'D PUT IN
A FULL DAY.

YOU GUYS REALLY WENT AFTER IT.

- WE HAVE BEEN BUSY INDEED.

- SO I KNOW
YOU SEARCHED IN THE SPOT

THAT LEONARD'S DOWSING
SAID YOU'D FIND SOMETHING.

WELL, HOW'D IT GO?

DID YOU FIND ANYTHING GOOD?

I SEE SOME BAGS OVER HERE.

- I GOT SOME GOODIES
TO SHOW YOU, FOR SURE.

SO HERE'S THE SITE PLAN.

THIS IS EVERY SINGLE SHOVEL TEST
THAT WE DUG,

AND WE HAD 54 METALLIC TARGETS,

AND 49 OF THEM WERE POSITIVE.

SO EACH OF THOSE BLACK DOTS
YIELDED AN ARTIFACT.

A TOOTH. - A TOOTH?

- NOT A HUMAN TOOTH.

THIS IS SOME SORT
OF MAMMALIAN TOOTH.

BUT WHAT IT SUGGESTS IS THAT

THERE WAS PROBABLY LIVESTOCK
AT ONE POINT IN TIME,

MORE THAN LIKELY CATTLE.

WE HAVE EVIDENCE THAT THERE
WAS SOME HORSE HERE AS WELL.

THIS WAS AN INTERESTING
SHOVEL TEST.

THIS PRODUCED
NATIVE AMERICAN POTTERY.

- OKAY.

- THERE ARE TWO AREAS.

AREA "A" RIGHT HERE,

THE CENTER OF THE PROPERTY
ON THE NORTH END

OVERLOOKING THE WATERWAY,

THIS IS GROUND ZERO, RIGHT?

IF YOU'RE A SCANDINAVIAN
OR A NORSEMAN,

THAT'S WHERE YOU'RE GONNA
DROP YOUR TOOLS

OR, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER MATERIALS

YOU MIGHT BE HOLDING
AT THE TIME.

AND THEN THERE'S AREA TWO,

WHICH IS JUST OVER THERE
TO THE EAST.

NOW, AREA TWO
HAD A CONCENTRATION

OF NATIVE AMERICAN POTTERY.

THIS ENTIRE BAG... - WOW.

- THAT'S ALL POTTERY.

- OH, WOW.

DID YOU FIND ANY EVIDENCE
OF A GIANT?

- NO GIANTS.

HOWEVER, THERE ARE STILL

PLENTY OF GOOD PLACES TO DIG,

AND THERE'S PLENTY OF REALLY
INTERESTING ARTIFACTS TO FIND.

LET'S DO IT. LET'S DIG.

- ALL RIGHT. SOUNDS GOOD.

- MY SEARCH FOR PROOF
OF PRE-COLUMBIAN NORSE

OR VIKING CONTACT WITH MINNESOTA

IS ONGOING.

I'VE GOT AN ACTIVE DIG

LOOKING FOR EVIDENCE
OF NORSE GIANTS

AT THE SAKER FARM

AND A SWORD
I NEED TO GET IN FRONT

OF A MEDIEVAL WEAPONS EXPERT
I KNOW.

NOW IT'S TIME TO LOOK FOR RUNES

CARVED ON THE FOUNDATION STONES

OF THE OLD FARMHOUSE
ON TED HASELRUD'S PROPERTY.

A HOOKED "X"
ON ONE OF THOSE ROCKS

COULD MEAN THE NORSE WERE HERE.

HEY, TED.

- OH, HI.

- HEY, GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.
- YEAH.

- HEY, TED. HOW'S IT GOING?

- GOT YOUR CALL.
THE HOUSE IS KNOCKED DOWN?

- YEAH.

- IS NOW A GOOD TIME

TO CHECK OUT THE ROCKS
IN THE FOUNDATION?

- YEAH, GO AHEAD.
- ALL RIGHT.

- OH, THERE WE GO.

- WELL,
THEY GOT SOME ROCKS HERE,

BUT LET'S LOOK
AT THE FOUNDATION.

WE KNOW WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR...

SO A DARK GRAY
OR SORT OF A BLUISH-GRAY ROCK.

I'LL LOOK
FOR THAT STEPPED FRACTURING

AND MAYBE A SMOOTH,
POLISHED SURFACE.

THESE ARE GLACIAL FIELDSTONE,
OR GLACIAL BOULDERS.

THAT'S NOT WHAT
WE'RE LOOKING FOR.

- OH!
- WHOA!

- WOW. UFF DA.

- THAT DIDN'T WORK OUT
THE WAY I PLANNED.

- HERE'S A BROKEN SURFACE,

BUT THAT'S REALLY NOT
THE RIGHT ROCK TYPE EITHER.

THIS IS ALL GRANITE. - MM-HMM.

- AND I WOULD THINK THE PIECES
ARE GONNA BE PRETTY BIG.

WATCH OUT HERE.

I DON'T THINK SO. - OKAY.

- NO, THAT'S A BASALT.

BUT HERE'S A BIG FLAT ROCK.

- FLAT ONE THERE, YEAH.

- LET'S TAKE A PEEK AT THIS.

NO, THAT'S...
THAT'S NOT RIGHT EITHER.

WE GOT THIS PILE WE SAW
WHEN WE CAME IN.

HOW ABOUT IF WE CHECK THOSE OUT?

YOU KNOW WHAT?

I SEE SOMETHING RIGHT FROM HERE,
DAVE.

- OH, REALLY?

- THERE ARE
THE STEPPED FRACTURES

THAT WE SAW ON THE ROCK.

THIS IS OUR ROCK, FOR SURE.

OH, LOOK. LOOK OVER HERE.

PERFECT.

DO YOU SEE THIS FLAT SURFACE?

IT'S GOT THE GLACIAL STRIATIONS,
JUST LIKE THE...

- JUST LIKE ON THE ROCK.

- AND THERE AGAIN.

YOU KNOW WHAT?

I SEE SOMETHING.

- AHH.

- NO WAY.

LOOK AT THAT.

THERE'S A LINE THERE,

AND THERE'S A LINE HERE.

- MM.

- NOW, IS THAT MAN-MADE?

I THINK WE HAVE A COUPLE
OF MAN-MADE CHARACTERS HERE.

THAT COULD BE WHAT YOUR FRIEND
WAS TALKING ABOUT.

IF HE SAW THIS,
I ABSOLUTELY BELIEVE

THAT'S PROBABLY WHAT HE SAW.

THAT LOOKS MAN-MADE,

AND THIS IS SORT OF A "U" SHAPE.

- UH-HUH.

- IT'S NOT AS REGULAR AND CLEAN

AND OBVIOUS AS THE RUNE STONE,

BUT THAT DOES LOOK LIKE
A MAN-MADE MARK.

BUT THEY DON'T QUITE JOIN,
I DON'T THINK.

YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY
WERE BLASTING THIS,

I WONDER IF THEY HAD SOME TOOLS

AND THEY WERE MOVING THIS
AROUND...

- OH, THAT'S POSSIBLE.

- MAYBE THEY SCRATCHED IT.

WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT?

THAT SURE IS INTERESTING.

- IT'S SOMETHING.
- WOW.

WE DID THE FOUNDATION...
THAT PILE, THIS PILE.

I THINK MAYBE WE GOT IT,
YOU KNOW?

WE FOUND A COUPLE OF...
WHAT LOOKED LIKE CHARACTERS.

THIS IS PROBABLY WHAT
YOUR FRIEND WAS TALKING ABOUT.

WE WERE ABLE
TO ABSOLUTELY IDENTIFY THIS.

THE STORY WAS RIGHT.

HE SAW SOMETHING,
AND WE FOUND IT.

- HOW'S IT GOING?

HEY, I DON'T WANT TO BUG YOU,

BUT TEDDY'S MY NEIGHBOR
AND TOLD ME

YOU KNEW A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT RUNIC WRITING.

- I'M SCOTT WOLTER.

- ED MARS.
- ED.

- NICE TO MEET YOU.
- NICE TO MEET YOU.

- I WAS WONDERING
IF YOU COULD GIVE ME

ANY INFORMATION ON THAT.

- THOSE ARE RUNES.

THAT'S A HOOKED "X."

WHAT THE HECK?

WHAT'S THIS DOING HERE?

- WELL, I WENT DOWN
TO ALEXANDRIA

AND LOOKED AT THE RUNE STONE
AND GOT SOME INK LAID.

- SO THESE ARE KENSINGTON RUNES.

WELL, LET ME SEE
IF I CAN FIGURE IT OUT.

- OKAY.

- ALL RIGHT, THAT'S AN "E."

NOW, THAT'S A BACKWARDS "L"
WITH A SLASH,

SO "D"?

"W."

WELL, THE HOOKED "X," OF COURSE,

I BETTER KNOW THAT ONE;
THAT'S AN "A."

"R." IF THAT'S A "D"...

"EDWARD."

- THERE YOU GO.
- AH.

- EDWARD!

NO WAY!

THAT'S AWESOME.

YOU KNOW, OLOF OHMAN
FOUND THE STONE.

HE FOUND IT WITH HIS TWO SONS.

THE YOUNGER SON
WAS THE FIRST ONE

TO NOTICE THAT THERE WAS
SOMETHING CARVED ON THE STONE.

GUESS WHAT HIS NAME WAS?

- I HAVE NO CLUE.

- I'M NOT MAKING THIS UP.

EDWARD. - REALLY?

YEAH.

WELL, HEY, IT WAS NICE
TO MEET YOU.

- WELL, IT WAS NICE
TO MEET YOU TOO, YEAH.

- HEY, GUYS, I THINK
I HAVE SOMETHING HERE.

- WHAT YOU GOT?

- WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE?

- OH, WOW. OKAY.

- I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE HELL
THAT IS.

- IT'S CUT BONE.
IT'S BEEN WORKED.

THERE'S GROOVES
THAT WOULD INDICATE CUTTING.

WORK... WORKED BONE. - OKAY.

- IT'S DENSE BONE TOO.

SO WHAT DO YOU THINK?

- DEFINITELY MARKS ON THERE.

- I GOT ANOTHER PIECE HERE.
THIS...

- OOH, THAT'S NICE.
- IS THIS A WORKED PIECE?

- THIS WAS SOME SORT
OF A BIFACIAL TOOL

OR AT LEAST IN THE PROCESS
OF MAKING A TOOL

OR A PROJECTILE POINT...
AN ARROWHEAD.

YEAH, SO THIS IS EVIDENCE
OF PREHISTORIC TOOL MANUFACTURE.

- NATIVE AMERICAN MOST LIKELY?

- ALMOST CERTAINLY.

- IT'S STARTING TO LOOK LIKE
A MINEFIELD HERE.

AT LEAST WE GAVE IT
A GOOD EFFORT,

BUT, ROGER, I THINK
WE'RE DONE DIGGING HERE.

WE FOUND A LOT OF STUFF.

- YEAH, YOU'VE GOT
A GREAT MULTICOMPONENT SITE.

YOU'VE GOT HISTORIC ARTIFACTS.

YOU GOT PREHISTORIC ARTIFACTS.

BUT WE DIDN'T FIND
ANY NORSE MATERIALS THIS GO.

- THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR,

BUT THANKS A LOT, GUYS.

- YOU GOT IT. THANK YOU.

- ALL RIGHT, ROGER.
- APPRECIATE IT.

- I'VE SEEN A LOT,

BUT THE QUESTION REMAINS:

WAS THERE A GIANT
ON ROGER SAKER'S PROPERTY?

MIKE AND I DIDN'T FIND
ANY NORSE ARTIFACTS,

BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN
THERE WAS NO NORSE GIANT.

BEFORE I QUESTION
THE STATE ARCHAEOLOGIST

ABOUT THE COVER-UP
ROGER INSISTS HE WAS PART OF,

I NEED TO GET TO THE BOTTOM
OF THE SWORD

BEV HILDE GAVE ME.

HEY, CRAIG.

I'M INVESTIGATING
THE POSSIBILITY

OF ANCIENT NORSE VIKINGS
AND EVEN GIANTS

BEING IN MINNESOTA
IN THE DISTANT PAST.

AND MINNESOTA BEING
MY HOME STATE,

I GET CALLS ALL THE TIME

FROM PEOPLE WHO THINK
THEY'VE FOUND ARTIFACTS

OR MAYBE INSCRIPTIONS.

I HAVE ANOTHER ONE HERE.

I WAS RECENTLY
IN NORTHERN MINNESOTA,

AND YOU'VE GOT THE PICTURES
THAT I SENT OF THIS SWORD

THAT WAS FOUND NEAR
ULEN, MINNESOTA, BY A FARMER.

SO I'M ANXIOUS TO HEAR
YOUR THOUGHTS.

- UM...

I'M SAD TO SAY
IT'S NOT A VIKING SWORD.

THIS PARTICULAR TYPE OF SWORD

WAS PRODUCED BY W.K. & COMPANY
IN GERMANY

IN THE MID TO LATE 1800s.

THEY WOULD HAVE PRODUCED
THOUSANDS OF THESE.

THEY ALSO WOULD HAVE SOLD THEM

TO THE AMES COMPANY
IN THE UNITED STATES,

WHO WAS THE LARGEST
SWORD COMPANY IN THE U.S.

AT THAT PERIOD OF TIME...

SOLD TO THE MILITARY,
TO INDIVIDUALS,

TO ORGANIZATIONS.

AND I ACTUALLY HAVE PAGES
FROM THE CATALOGS

OF BOTH THOSE COMPANIES.

- WHEN I LOOK AT BOTH OF
THESE PICTURES THAT YOU SHOW...

- YEAH.

- I MEAN, THAT'S
A SPOT-ON MATCH RIGHT THERE.

- THAT'S THAT SWORD.
- YEAH.

CAN YOU SHOW ME
WHAT A MEDIEVAL OR NORSE SWORD

SHOULD LOOK LIKE?

- CERTAINLY.
- OKAY.

- YEP.
YOU WANT TO HOLD THAT FOR A SEC?

- SURE.

- THAT'S WHAT A VIKING SWORD

WOULD APPEAR TO BE
IN MOST CASES.

- BOY, THAT'S LIGHT
FOR HOW BIG IT IS.

- VIKING COMBAT IS VERY MUCH

A COMBAT OF AGILITY, SPEED.

IT IS NOT TWO GUYS
STANDING THERE

POUNDING EACH OTHER
ON THEIR SHIELDS.

- SO, CRAIG, ARE YOU SURPRISED

THAT IT'S MODERN AND NOT OLD?

- NO, I WAS NOT SURPRISED.

IN THE COURSE OF OUR STUDIES
HERE IN MINNESOTA,

WE'VE SEEN SEVERAL INSTANCES

WHERE PEOPLE
HAVE BROUGHT IN ARTIFACTS...

FENCE FINIALS, AXES,

THE KENSINGTON RUNE STONE...

ALL CONVINCED THAT IT'S PROOF
OF ANCIENT PEOPLE

PRIOR TO THEM BEING THERE.

- WELL, YOU KNOW, YOU BRING UP
THE KENSINGTON RUNE STONE.

THAT'S SOMETHING
I KNOW A LOT ABOUT.

YOU DID A REALLY GOOD JOB
OF POINTING OUT FACTUAL EVIDENCE

AND THE FEATURES OF THAT SWORD

THAT IT CONVINCED ME
THAT IT'S ABSOLUTELY MODERN.

HOWEVER, THAT HAS NOT HAPPENED

WITH THE KENSINGTON RUNE STONE.

IT'S ABSOLUTELY
A GENUINE MEDIEVAL ARTIFACT

AND PROVES THAT
THERE WAS A PARTY

THAT CAME TO MINNESOTA
THAT INCLUDED NORSE

BACK IN THE MIDDLE
OF THE 14TH CENTURY.

- I DOUBT THIS ARTIFACT IS TRUE.

AN ARTIFACT THAT WOULD EXIST
FROM THAT PERIOD OF TIME

BEING FOUND DOCUMENTED
IN A CONTEXT

THAT IS DEFENDABLE
IN THE KIND OF ACADEMIC WORLD,

IF IT EVER WERE,
WOULD MAKE A BIG DEAL.

- YEAH.

- YEAH, THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING

THAT WOULD REALLY GIVE US
A BIG CONUNDRUM TO SOLVE

OF WHY THESE PEOPLE
WOULD HAVE BEEN OUT HERE

IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE.

- CRAIG, I KNOW YOU'RE SKEPTICAL
ABOUT THE RUNE STONE,

BUT THERE'S STILL
THE UNANSWERED QUESTION

OF THE BONES FOUND
AT ROGER SAKER'S FARM.

MY NEXT STOP IS TO VISIT WITH

THE STATE ARCHAEOLOGIST,
SCOTT ANFINSON,

WHO DID VISIT THE FARM,
SAW THE DIG,

AND SHOULD HAVE THE ANSWER
TO THAT QUESTION, SO...

THANKS AGAIN.

OKAY, SCOTT,
I'M GONNA CUT TO THE CHASE.

ROGER SAKER SAYS
THAT HE HAS A NORSE GIANT

ON HIS PROPERTY,

AND HE SAYS
YOU'RE COVERING IT UP.

THE BONE SPECIALIST
THAT WAS OUT AT THE SITE

DIDN'T WANT TO TALK TO ME
AND REFERRED ME TO YOU.

ROGER WAS VERY ADAMANT

THAT WHEN THEY EXPOSED
THE LOWER LEGS OF THE BIG GUY,

THAT SHE SAID THAT
THESE WERE THE BONES

OF A VERY LARGE MALE.

AS THE STATE ARCHAEOLOGIST,
WHAT'S YOUR RESPONSE TO THAT?

- AS FOR THE GIANT,
I CAN'T SAY FOR SURE.

THERE ARE SOME LARGE PEOPLE
IN THE PAST,

AND WE'VE SEEN GIANT CLAIMS
BEFORE.

BUT BECAUSE I DIDN'T SEE
THE BONES,

I CAN'T SAY IF THERE
WAS A GIANT THERE OR NOT,

AND THERE ARE
SOME LARGE INDIAN PEOPLE TOO.

AS FOR THE NORSE CLAIM,

I THINK
I CAN ANSWER THAT BETTER.

THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO EUROPEAN
ARTIFACTS IN THAT MOUND.

WE HAVEN'T FOUND ANY
ON THE PROPERTY.

WE HAVEN'T FOUND
ANY EUROPEAN ARTIFACTS

IN THE RED RIVER VALLEY,
IN THE VICINITY OF HIS FARM.

SO I WOULD SAY
THERE'S A 99.99% CHANCE

THAT THIS PERSON IS INDIAN
AND NOT NORSE.

WHETHER HE'S EXTRA LARGE,
I CAN'T SAY FOR SURE.

- ARE YOU SAYING ROGER SAKER
IS LYING

ABOUT HIS CLAIM?

- ROGER SAKER
IS JUST CLAIMING THIS.

I THINK HE'S SINCERE IN THIS

THAT THIS WAS A NORSE GIANT.

BUT I HAVE NO LINES OF EVIDENCE

TO SAY THAT IT IS EITHER A GIANT
OR CERTAINLY NORSE.

YOU KNOW, OUR BONES IN OUR BODY
ARE ARTICULATED INTO JOINTS,

ALL THE WAY FROM YOUR TOE,
ALL THE WAY UP TO HERE.

EVERYTHING IS FITTING
IN A SOCKET.

WHEN YOU FIND BONES
AND YOU LAY THEM OUT ON A TABLE,

YOU DON'T FIT THEM
BACK INTO THE SOCKET.

YOU JUST SORT OF LAY THEM
IN THEIR ANATOMICAL POSITIONS.

WELL, IF YOU DON'T
FIT THEM BACK IN,

THEN YOU MEASURE IT...

WHOA, THIS PERSON
WAS 7 FEET TALL.

A VERY EXPERIENCED
FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGIST

WHO HAS LOOKED AT THE BONES

HAS TOLD ME THAT THEY'RE...

5'3", I THINK, IS THE TALLEST,

SO I WOULDN'T CALL THAT A GIANT.

- ROGER SAKER IS ADAMANT

THAT THE NORSE CAME TO MINNESOTA
PRIOR TO COLUMBUS.

AND IF THIS WAS TRUE,
THIS WOULD BE A HUGE STORY...

I MEAN, ABSOLUTELY HUGE.

BUT AT THIS POINT,

I HAVEN'T SEEN ANYTHING
CONVINCING TO ME

THAT THERE'S A GIANT THERE,

BUT THAT DOOR
IS STILL OPEN A CRACK.

HEY, ROGER.

- HEY, SCOTT.

- GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.

- WELL, NICE TO SEE YOU.
SIT DOWN.

- I DIDN'T INTERRUPT
YOUR DINNER, DID I?

- OH, I WAS JUST HAVING
A LITTLE SNACK HERE.

- WELL, I THOUGHT I'D STOP BY

AND TELL YOU
I HAD A LITTLE VISIT

WITH YOUR FRIEND.

- OH, YEAH.
THAT'D BE INTERESTING.

- YEAH, AND TALKED ABOUT
THE SITE OVER THERE.

AND HE SAID THAT
THE BONES THAT HE LOOKED AT

WERE NOT A GIANT.

THEY WERE FROM
A 5-FOOT-TALL NATIVE AMERICAN...

- TYPICAL OF WHAT HE SEES
ALL THE TIME.

- WELL, I COULD IMAGINE.

'CAUSE I KNOW WHAT I'VE SEEN.

I'LL TAKE A LIE DETECTOR'S TEST,

HYPNOSIS, WHATEVER YOU WANT.

I KNOW WHAT I'VE SEEN,
AND HE WAS HUGE.

- I HAVE TO SAY THAT
I APPRECIATE YOUR ENTHUSIASM.

I APPRECIATE YOUR PASSION.
I UNDERSTAND THAT.

I FEEL THE SAME THING.

WHEN YOU KNOW YOU'RE RIGHT
ABOUT SOMETHING...

- YEAH, YEAH.

- YOU STAND BY YOUR CONVICTIONS,

AND YOU'VE DONE THAT,

AND I RESPECT YOU FOR THAT,
SO...

- YEAH, WELL, I APPRECIATE THAT,

AND THANKS FOR YOUR HELP
AND ALL THAT,

BUT THIS ISN'T RIGHT.

I MEAN, THESE PEOPLE...

THEY'RE UP TO SOMETHING.

I'M GONNA KEEP GOING,
KEEP DOING IT.

- I CAN TELL YOU THIS...

I'M NOT GONNA GIVE UP
ON MY SEARCH

TO TRY TO GET TO THE TRUTH
BEHIND ALL OF THIS STUFF.

UNFORTUNATELY, WE DIDN'T FIND
ANYTHING ELSE HERE.

BUT I TELL YOU WHAT...

WE GAVE IT A HELL OF A GOOD TRY,
DID WE NOT?

- YES, WE DID.

- PROMISE ME ONE THING.
- YEAH?

- IF YOU DO FIND A GIANT

OR IF YOU DO FIND A RUNE STONE,

WILL YOU CALL ME RIGHT AWAY?

- I DEFINITELY WILL.

- ALL RIGHT, ROGER, I GOT TO GO.

BUT THANK YOU AGAIN
FOR EVERYTHING.

- THANKS FOR ALL THE HELP.

- GO AHEAD
AND FINISH YOUR DINNER.

- YEAH.
- SEE YOU LATER.

- KIND OF LOST MY APPETITE NOW.

- MY SEARCH FOR NORSE GIANTS
IN MINNESOTA

ALLOWED ME TO DIVE DEEP
INTO THE MYTHS AND LEGENDS

THAT ARE WOVEN INTO THE FABRIC
OF MY HOME STATE.

FOR MANY PEOPLE HERE,
THE QUESTION

OF WHETHER THE VIKINGS
MADE IT TO MINNESOTA

ISN'T A QUESTION AT ALL.

MY OWN RESEARCH

INTO THE ORIGINS
OF THE KENSINGTON RUNE STONE

HAS PROVEN
BEYOND A SHADOW OF A DOUBT

THAT A GROUP OF NORSE VOYAGERS
DID MAKE IT TO MINNESOTA

IN 1362.

THE NEW WORLD WASN'T AS NEW
AS WE'VE BEEN LED TO BELIEVE.

Subtitles Diego Moraes
www.oakisland.tk