Climate change cause Viking community to collapse?

infinite monkey · 06-20-2011, 01:24 PM

Our changing climate usually appears to be a very modern problem, yet new research from Greenland published in Boreas, suggests that the AD 1350 collapse of a centuries old colony established by Viking settlers may have been caused by declining temperatures and a rise in sea-ice. The authors suggest the collapse of the Greenland Norse presents a historical example of a society which failed to adapt to climate change. The research, led by Dr Sofia Ribeiro from the University of Copenhagen, currently at the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland, focused on Disko Bay in Western Greenland and used a marine sediment record to reconstruct climate change over the last 1500 years.

Our study indicates that at the time the Norse arrived in West Greenland, climate conditions were relatively mild and were favorable to the settlers" said Ribeiro. "However, in AD 1350 the settlement collapsed, the cause of which has long been debated."

The marine perspective of the research is especially relevant as the Norse inhabited inner fjord areas. The team's research compared robust air temperature reconstructions based on ice-core data with their own marine record. The results underline the regional complexity of climate patterns in the study area, which may vary from ice core reconstructions, and are strongly controlled by the fluctuating influence of "warm" Atlantic waters entrained by the West Greenland Current.

"Our study shows a major shift towards cooler conditions and extensive sea-ice which coincides with the estimated time for the collapse of the Western Settlement in AD 1350," said Dr Ribeiro. "The Norse were proud of being Europeans, farmers and Christians, and never adopted the hunting and survival techniques of the Inuit, so these temperature shifts would have caused significant problems for the colonists and their livestock."

Agricultural difficulties are believed to have forced the Norse to rely on marine resources, yet the increase in sea-ice, the team suggests, would have had a major impact on species such as migratory seals, while blocking trade routes.

"We cannot attribute the end of the Norse civilisation to a single factor, but there is enough evidence to suggest that climate change played a major role in determining its collapse," concluded Ribeiro. "Harsh climate conditions made farming and cattle production increasingly difficult and the extensive sea-ice prevented navigation and trading with Europe."

"There is perhaps an important lesson to learn from the Norse collapse and that is a lesson of adaptation, of being able to adjust our values and life-style when times change. That is an important challenge we face today as a society."

Read more.

piercehawkeye45 · 06-20-2011, 08:09 PM

Jared Diamond's Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed goes into this along with some other failed civilizations, but from more of a overusing resources perspective.

Though I agree that we need to start focusing more on adaption to the current climate change than attempting to completely prevent or revert it.

TheMercenary · 06-22-2011, 09:06 AM

Save the Vikings!

SamIam · 06-23-2011, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by piercehawkeye45

Jared Diamond's Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed goes into this along with some other failed civilizations, but from more of a overusing resources perspective.

Though I agree that we need to start focusing more on adaption to the current climate change than attempting to completely prevent or revert it.

Yeah, Diamond's book came out in 2005 - excellent reading, but I don't see why someone feels compelled to parrot Diamond's findings now.

wolf · 06-23-2011, 08:09 PM

And here all this time I assumed it was Christianity that brought the downfall of the Vikings.

Weather. Well, it could have been the Gods being mad at them, I suppose, so it's still Christianity's fault.

SamIam · 06-23-2011, 08:53 PM

Actually, if you read Diamond's book, he makes an excellent argument that Christianity did indeed contribute to the failure of the Norse settlements in Greenland. So, there you go.

wolf · 06-23-2011, 10:02 PM

I know my people.

Viking FARMERS? Come on! They were seafarers, raiders, and conquerors, not hoers of dirt.

Nirvana · 06-23-2011, 10:23 PM

Yah they were dirtiers of hoers!

classicman · 06-24-2011, 07:58 AM

lol - good one, Nirvana.

footfootfoot · 06-24-2011, 10:27 PM

It takes a Viking to raze a village.

BigV · 06-24-2011, 10:46 PM

There were pirates/vikings at the Slutwalk sunday. They had an awesome sign:

"All pillage, no rape"

wolf · 06-25-2011, 11:12 AM

There's a natural order to things ... Rape, Pillage, then Burn.

06-20-2011, 01:24 PM	#1
infinite monkey Person who doesn't update the user title Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 13,002	Climate change cause Viking community to collapse? Our changing climate usually appears to be a very modern problem, yet new research from Greenland published in Boreas, suggests that the AD 1350 collapse of a centuries old colony established by Viking settlers may have been caused by declining temperatures and a rise in sea-ice. The authors suggest the collapse of the Greenland Norse presents a historical example of a society which failed to adapt to climate change. The research, led by Dr Sofia Ribeiro from the University of Copenhagen, currently at the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland, focused on Disko Bay in Western Greenland and used a marine sediment record to reconstruct climate change over the last 1500 years. Our study indicates that at the time the Norse arrived in West Greenland, climate conditions were relatively mild and were favorable to the settlers" said Ribeiro. "However, in AD 1350 the settlement collapsed, the cause of which has long been debated." The marine perspective of the research is especially relevant as the Norse inhabited inner fjord areas. The team's research compared robust air temperature reconstructions based on ice-core data with their own marine record. The results underline the regional complexity of climate patterns in the study area, which may vary from ice core reconstructions, and are strongly controlled by the fluctuating influence of "warm" Atlantic waters entrained by the West Greenland Current. "Our study shows a major shift towards cooler conditions and extensive sea-ice which coincides with the estimated time for the collapse of the Western Settlement in AD 1350," said Dr Ribeiro. "The Norse were proud of being Europeans, farmers and Christians, and never adopted the hunting and survival techniques of the Inuit, so these temperature shifts would have caused significant problems for the colonists and their livestock." Agricultural difficulties are believed to have forced the Norse to rely on marine resources, yet the increase in sea-ice, the team suggests, would have had a major impact on species such as migratory seals, while blocking trade routes. "We cannot attribute the end of the Norse civilisation to a single factor, but there is enough evidence to suggest that climate change played a major role in determining its collapse," concluded Ribeiro. "Harsh climate conditions made farming and cattle production increasingly difficult and the extensive sea-ice prevented navigation and trading with Europe." "There is perhaps an important lesson to learn from the Norse collapse and that is a lesson of adaptation, of being able to adjust our values and life-style when times change. That is an important challenge we face today as a society." Read more.

06-20-2011, 08:09 PM	#2
piercehawkeye45 Franklin Pierce Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Minnesota Posts: 3,695	Jared Diamond's Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed goes into this along with some other failed civilizations, but from more of a overusing resources perspective. Though I agree that we need to start focusing more on adaption to the current climate change than attempting to completely prevent or revert it. __________________ I like my perspectives like I like my baseball caps: one size fits all.

06-22-2011, 09:06 AM	#3
TheMercenary “Hypocrisy: prejudice with a halo” Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Savannah, Georgia Posts: 21,393	Save the Vikings! __________________ Anyone but the this most fuked up President in History in 2012!

06-23-2011, 08:09 PM	#5
wolf lobber of scimitars Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Phila Burbs Posts: 20,774	And here all this time I assumed it was Christianity that brought the downfall of the Vikings. Weather. Well, it could have been the Gods being mad at them, I suppose, so it's still Christianity's fault. __________________ wolf eht htiw og "Conspiracies are the norm, not the exception." --G. Edward Griffin The Creature from Jekyll Island High Priestess of the Church of the Whale Penis

06-23-2011, 10:02 PM	#7
wolf lobber of scimitars Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Phila Burbs Posts: 20,774	I know my people. Viking FARMERS? Come on! They were seafarers, raiders, and conquerors, not hoers of dirt. __________________ wolf eht htiw og "Conspiracies are the norm, not the exception." --G. Edward Griffin The Creature from Jekyll Island High Priestess of the Church of the Whale Penis

06-23-2011, 08:53 PM	#6
SamIam Registered User Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Not here Posts: 2,655	Actually, if you read Diamond's book, he makes an excellent argument that Christianity did indeed contribute to the failure of the Norse settlements in Greenland. So, there you go.

06-23-2011, 10:23 PM	#8
Nirvana Back in 10 Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 3,684	Yah they were dirtiers of hoers! __________________ Speaking simply... do not confuse this with having a simple mind.

06-24-2011, 07:58 AM	#9
classicman barely disguised asshole, keeper of all that is holy. Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 23,401	lol - good one, Nirvana. __________________ "like strapping a pillow on a bull in a china shop" Bullitt

06-24-2011, 10:27 PM	#10
footfootfoot To shreds, you say? Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: in the house and on the street-how many, many feet we meet! Posts: 18,449	It takes a Viking to raze a village. __________________ The internet is a hateful stew of vomit you can never take completely seriously. - Her Fobs

06-24-2011, 10:46 PM	#11
BigV Goon Squad Leader Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Seattle Posts: 27,063	There were pirates/vikings at the Slutwalk sunday. They had an awesome sign: "All pillage, no rape" __________________ Be Just and Fear Not.

06-25-2011, 11:12 AM	#12
wolf lobber of scimitars Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Phila Burbs Posts: 20,774	There's a natural order to things ... Rape, Pillage, then Burn. __________________ wolf eht htiw og "Conspiracies are the norm, not the exception." --G. Edward Griffin The Creature from Jekyll Island High Priestess of the Church of the Whale Penis

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