Norse Greenland Norse colonization of North America

a map of eastern settlement on greenland, covering approximately modern municipalities of qaqortoq, narssaq , nanortalik. eiriksfjord (erik s fjord) , farm brattahlid shown, location of bishopric @ gardar.

according sagas of icelanders, norsemen iceland first settled greenland in 980s. there no special reason doubt authority of information sagas supply regarding beginning of settlement, cannot treated primary evidence history of norse greenland because embody literary preoccupations of writers , audiences in medieval iceland not reliable.

erik red (old norse: eiríkr rauði), having been banished iceland manslaughter, explored uninhabited southwestern coast of greenland during 3 years of banishment. made plans entice settlers area, naming greenland on assumption people more eager go there because land had name . inner reaches of 1 long fjord, named eiriksfjord after him, established estate brattahlid. issued tracts of land followers.

map showing extent of norse world

at peak colony consisted of 2 settlements. eastern @ southwestern tip of greenland, while western settlement 500 km west coast, inland present-day nuuk. smaller settlement near eastern settlement considered middle settlement. combined population around 2,000–3,000. @ least 400 farms have been identified archaeologists. norse greenland had bishopric (at garðar) , exported walrus ivory, furs, rope, sheep, whale or seal blubber, live animals such polar bears, supposed unicorn horns (in reality narwhal tusks), , cattle hides. in 1126, population requested bishop (headquartered @ garðar), , in 1261, accepted overlordship of norwegian king. continued have own law , became independent after 1349, time of black death. in 1380, norwegian kingdom entered personal union kingdom of denmark.

western trade , decline

there evidence of norse trade natives (called skraelings vikings). norse have encountered both native americans (the beothuk, related algonquin) , thule, ancestors of inuit. dorset had withdrawn greenland before norse settlement of island. items such comb fragments, pieces of iron cooking utensils , chisels, chess pieces, ship rivets, carpenter s planes, , oaken ship fragments used in inuit boats have been found far beyond traditional range of norse colonization. small ivory statue appears represent european has been found among ruins of inuit community house.

the colony began decline in 14th century. western settlement abandoned around 1350, , last bishop @ garðar died in 1377. after marriage recorded in 1408, no written records mention settlers. probable eastern settlement defunct late 15th century. recent radiocarbon date found in norse settlements of 2002 1430 (±15 years). several theories have been advanced explain decline.

the little ice age of period have made travel between greenland , europe, farming, more difficult; although fishing , seal hunting provided healthy diet, there more prestige in cattle farming, , there increased availability of farms in scandinavian countries depopulated famine , plague epidemics. in addition, greenlandic ivory may have been supplanted in european markets cheaper ivory africa. despite loss of contact greenlanders, norwegian-danish crown continued consider greenland possession.

not knowing whether old norse civilization remained in greenland or not—and worried if did, still catholic 200 years after scandinavian homelands had experienced reformation—a joint merchant-clerical expedition led dano-norwegian missionary hans egede sent greenland in 1721. though expedition found no surviving europeans, marked beginning of denmark s re-assertion of sovereignty on island.