L'Anse aux Meadows is the only confirmed Norse settlement site in North America. The site was excavated in the 1960s, designated a National Historic Site in 1968 and then a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978. The remains of eight buildings, along with artifacts such as wood debris, personal items and iron nails, led archaeologists to conclude Vikings settled here about a thousand years ago, for about a decade, and most likely used this temporary settlement as a base for exploration along the east coast of North America.