Birgitta Wallace Ferguson

How do we encapsulate such a rich life in so few words? Inger Birgitta Wallace Ferguson (nee Linderoth), a pioneering Swedish-Canadian archaeologist renowned for her groundbreaking work in Norse archaeology, passed away peacefully in Halifax on May 20, 2025, surrounded by family. Born in Stockholm on May 1st, 1934, she embarked on a distinguished career that spanned continents and reshaped our understanding of Norse exploration in North America.

Birgitta is survived by her husband, Robert, who shared her love of archaeology and was her number one fan, children Robin and Karin Wallace (Terry Murray-Arnold), sister Margarete and niece Issa Bekmose (Denmark), niece Julia (Dan) Potter (Chicago) and her beloved grandchildren Linnea and Magnus. She is pre-deceased by her parents Palle Linderoth and Rigmor Hansen, first husband Richard Wallace, and brother-in-law Jens Bekmose.

Birgitta’s family lived in the town of Vingåker in Södermanland County, Sweden. Long walks with her beloved father to visit ancient ruins in the landscape around her town led to her interest in anthropology and archaeology. She studied at Uppsala University, earning Filosofie Kandidat and Magister degrees in literary history, classical archaeology and ethnology. Birgitta felt a strong connection to Uppsala University that lasted throughout her life.

Birgitta met her first husband, Richard Wallace, during a student exchange at University of Kansas. She began her career at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh, where she also served as adjunct professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Pittsburgh. At this time, she undertook an exhaustive survey of all alleged Norse sites in North America, as well as research on Indigenous petroglyphs of the Upper Ohio Valley, and a season at Tel Ashdod in Israel. She also continued field work in Sweden, co-directing excavations with a staff of American graduate students funded by the American-Scandinavian Foundation.

In 1964, Birgitta was seconded to excavations at L’Anse aux Meadows, Newfoundland, led by Anne Stine Ingstad, and worked there again in 1968. These excavations proved beyond a doubt that the site was Norse and dated from the 11th century, leading to its designation as a National Historic Site of Canada. In 1978 it was placed on the first list of UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Birgitta participated in the continuation of excavations at L’Anse aux Meadows by Parks Canada from 1973-76. In 1976 she became director of the archaeological programme there. Following her divorce, she moved to Canada in 1975 as a full-time employee of Parks Canada, first as a staff archaeologist, and later as a senior archaeologist for the Atlantic region, a position she held until her retirement in 1997. Following retirement, Birgitta never stopped researching, writing and lecturing on the Norse in North America and other research. She was author of more than eighty articles and chapters in scholarly books, and advisor for numerous exhibits, television programmes, films, and postage stamps.

Beyond her work at L’Anse aux Meadows, Birgitta contributed significantly to archaeological projects across Atlantic Canada, including Fort Anne National Historic Site in Nova Scotia, Nicholas Deny’s 17th-century trading post of Saint-Pierre in Cape Breton, and an Indigenous shell midden site in Prince Edward Island. She discovered the original site of William Alexander’s 1628 Scottish settlement deep below the walls of Fort Anne in Annapolis Royal.

Her true passion was unraveling the story of the Norse at L’Anse aux Meadows, the only acknowledged Norse site in North America. By applying a rigorous study of the archaeology to the Icelandic Vinland Sagas, she proved that L’Anse aux Meadows was indeed the site of Leif Eriksson’s base in Vinland, and established the Gulf of St. Lawrence, from northern Newfoundland to the coast of New Brunswick, as the site of the legendary Vinland. Her book, Westward Vikings: The Saga of L’Anse aux Meadows, published in 2006, remains a seminal work in the field.

A passionate educator and advocate for public engagement, Birgitta curated numerous museum exhibitions and mentored aspiring archaeologists. She was a senior advisor for two millennial exhibits, including Vikings: The North Atlantic Saga for the Smithsonian Institution and Full Circle: First Contact for the Newfoundland Museum. Birgitta was a founding member of the North Atlantic Biocultural Organization, always embracing new and innovative methods of analysis. She was also a longtime member of the Canadian Archaeological Association, The Association for the Advancement of Scandinavian Studies in Canada, and the American-Scandinavian Foundation. Her commitment to the field was recognized in 2015 when she became the first woman to receive the Smith-Wintemberg Award from the Canadian Archaeological Association for outstanding contributions to Canadian archaeology. In 2018 she was awarded a Doctor of Laws honoris causa by Memorial University. Truth and integrity were the foundation of her research, in a field fraught with sensationalism and speculation.

Birgitta was a woman ahead of her time - a dynamic, determined professional and also a devoted mother during an era when such paths were rare. She was the first woman to take maternity leave from Carnegie Museum and faced many challenges in a male-dominated field.

Despite her demanding her career, Birgitta was deeply committed to her family. She was a proud wife, mother and grandmother who showed up for her family and was always there to support them when they needed her. She was a cherished mormor to her two grandchildren who brought immense joy to her life. Her determination, wisdom, and strength were the foundation of her family, and her love was unwavering and unconditional.

Birgitta had the rare gift of forming lasting friendships; she was a loyal friend who maintained close bonds with people from around the world.

A beloved wife, mother, mormor, sister and aunt, Birgitta’s legacy endures in the scholars and students she inspired and the family who loved her deeply.

A celebration of Birgitta's life will be held on Sunday June 22 at 2pm in J.A. Snow Funeral Home, 339 Lacewood Drive, Halifax.. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the SPCA or a charity of your choice.