The Vikings first got a foothold in southern Greenland with the arrival of Erik Thorvaldsson, also known as “Red Plum”, a Norwegian explorer who sailed to Greenland after being driven from Iceland. Others soon followed, forming communities at Eastrybeggar and Westrybeggar that thrived over the centuries. However, they had to flee already in the 15th century.

reasons for resettlement

Researchers have previously suggested that factors such as climate change and economic shifts likely forced the Vikings to leave Greenland. New data show that Rising sea levels have played a key role, inundating miles of coastline..

Between the 14th and 19th centuries, Europe and North America experienced a period of cold weather known as the Little Ice Age.

• Under these cold conditions, the Greenland ice sheet grew. As it progressed, its increased weight forced the soil under it, making coastal areas more vulnerable to flooding.
• At the same time, the increased gravity between the expanding ice sheet and large sea ice floes pushed more seawater onto the Greenland coast.

These two processes may have caused widespread flooding along the coastline where the Vikings lived.

The scientists tested the hypothesis by modeling the ice accumulation in southwest Greenland over Norway’s 400-year existence and adding these calculations to a model that shows sea level rise over that time. Maps of known Viking sites were then analyzed to see how their findings matched up with archaeological evidence showing the end of Viking existence in Greenland.

However, rising sea levels were probably not the only reason the Vikings left Greenland. Other challenges can also lead to the fragmentation of communities, leading to a combination of factors such as climate change, social unrest, interaction with the Inuit in the north (indigenous people who lived there before the Vikings arrived), and resource depletion. It pushed the Vikings to leave their settlements forever.