For centuries, Viking settlers barely made ends meet in Greenland, tending pastures, hunting walruses and building stone structures that still stand today.
Sometime in the 15th century, however, their civilization collapsed and all the Vikings either died or fled. Although researchers have pieced together many clues about their disappearance, including rising sea levels, drought, a cooling climate, disease, environmental degradation, conflict with Inuit, and economic disruption, no one yet knows exactly what happened.
The existence of Vikings in Greenland dates back to around 985 AD. According to medieval Icelandic legends, Erik the Red led a large fleet to land there (temporarily expelled from Iceland after killing two men due to neighborhood hatred).
Although much of Greenland was covered in a huge ice sheet and was uninhabitable, on lush meadows (mostly within hidden fjords), the Vikings established two outposts: an eastern settlement on the southern tip of the island, and a smaller western settlement about 240 miles away.
In addition to raising goats, sheep and some cows, the Nordics hunted seals, reindeer, walruses and other prey, and built houses and churches out of turf and stone.
Marisa Borreggine, a graduate student in Earth and Planetary Sciences at Harvard University, and her team published a paper on the collapse of the Vikings in April 2023.
The paper notes that the eastern settlement grew to include about 500 farm sites clustered around 12 major churches. "For a while, it was a fairly prosperous settlement," Borreggine said.
However, the population of these settlements was never very large. Researchers had thought that at their prime, about 5,000 Norwegians lived in Greenland, but recent estimates cut that number by nearly half.
In any case, although researchers have gathered some clues about the disappearance of the Vikings in Greenland, there is still no definitive answer to explain their demise. Here are some other possible factors:
1. Social Breakdown and Internal Conflict: Viking societies may have experienced internal conflict and social collapse. Historical records indicate that there were hostilities and conflicts among the Vikings, which could have led to the disintegration of their social fabric and the depopulation of the population.
2. Cultural integration and population movement: The emergence of Inuit and other indigenous groups in Greenland may have led to cultural integration and population movements. This cultural integration could lead to the loss of the culture and identity of the Vikings and eventually their disappearance.
3. Economic collapse and trade disruption: Vikings operated ranches and trade activities in Greenland, but may have faced economic collapse and trade disruption. The effects of climate change, the collapse of walrus ivory markets and the Black Death could cause their economic base to crumble and make them unable to make ends meet.
4. Climate change and environmental pressures: The advent of the Xiaoice Age may have put extreme stress on the lives of Vikings. Cooling and drought can lead to reduced pasture, damaged farmland, and icy seas, resulting in food and resource scarcity.
5. Infectious diseases and health problems: Outbreaks of infectious diseases and health problems can have had a serious impact on the Viking population. The spread of the Black Death and other diseases can lead to population depopulation and social unrest.
The disappearance of the Vikings in Greenland remains a mystery, and it is likely that these factors interacted to exacerbate their plight. More in-depth research and discoveries may help reveal the truth about the disappearance of the Vikings.