Tipping Points in History Well Adapted But Still Extinct: Norse Greenland in New Perspective Tom McGovern, Andy Dugmore, Christian Keller, Astrid Ogilvie, Konrad Smiarowski, Jette Arneborg, Andy Casely & the rest of the NABO gang

Historical Thresholds 18 th century ends th century ends th century ends 1989

Thresholds and Conjunctures Things Fall Apart – and Come Together- Suddenly. Coupled Human and Natural Systems are affected by processes operating over different time scales which can combine in unexpected ways (Conjunctures). Rates of Change Vary Widely, but sudden social/ environmental threshold crossings are at least as common as gradual shifts. Triggers for threshold crossings are sometimes natural, sometimes social, often both.

Norse Greenland c. AD Classic Northern Mystery: Blondes Lost in the Mist…. Speculation since Archaeology since Multiple theories. Inuit invasion, Basque pirates, killer caterpillars…. Diamond Collapse –Human Impact (Erosion) –Maladaptation (no fish on Friday) –Climate Change (it got cold….) –Oppressive elites (and foreign too).

Norse Settlements Western Settlement Norðursetur Eastern Settlement Two areas of permanent farms in the SW. Eastern Settlement has ca. 400 ruins. Western Settlement has ca. 80 ruins. The Norðursetur (Northern Hunting Grounds) were in the Disko Bay area, 800 km N of the settlements.

Walrus in Greenland Walrus are found throughout Greenland, but concentrate in the central W coast (Disko Bay). The Norse traveled for weeks from the two settlement areas to reach this ‘Northern Hunting Ground’ Norse Hunters transported the dense maxilla and tusk ivory home for final tusk extraction. Most farms in both settlements have produced some fragments of walrus maxilla and a few chips of ivory. Finished ivory is very rare in Greenland.

Inner Fjord Pastures Warmer summers of the continental inner fjords produce more degree days- and richer vegetation. In the two large environmental pockets of the Eastern and Western Settlement, Greenland is really green- comparable to good Icelandic pastures.

The Icelandic Erosion Story: Missing Sustainability by a Week?

Sediment stores full Relative stream bank stability Limited fan development Limited pond infilling

Caribou Hunting Greenland Caribou Prone to local extinction- esp. in the SW (range icing). After introduction of guns ca 1800, caribou made extinct in the Eastern Settlement Area. However, Norse archaeofauna have many caribou bones in all phases, in both Eastern & Western Settlements. Despite climate fluctuations, drive systems, big hunting dogs, competition w/sheep & goats……why didn’t the Norse make the E Settlement Caribou extinct? Sustainable Management?

Norse Sealing in Greenland: Arctic species and migratory riches New Species Encountered: Migratory Harp and Hooded seals, non- migratory Ringed and Bearded Seal. Norse Greenlanders rapidly exploit seasonal Harp and Hooded seal migration (nets, clubs, boat drives: coordinated labor). No harpoons in Norse sites. Non-migratory (breathing hole) seals are not much hunted. Missing technology = missed opportunity???

By the 14 th c. small farms show the highest % of seal bones

Inland Icelandic Pagan Burials

The Price of a Polar Bear 1127 Einar Sokkason’s Story reports that in 1127 Greenlandic chieftains decided to acquire a bishop of their own. The Greenlanders transport a live polar bear to the King of Norway’s court, and acquire Bishop Arnald in exchange. He is not happy to come….but adjusts by taking over the manor at Gardar in the E Settlement.

Norse Greenland ca Small but well established communities based on inner fjord farms. Well integrated use of communal labor (seals, birds). Apparently successful caribou conservation. No significant soil erosion. Continued importance of Norðursetur hunt & Walrus ivory. Substantial, well furnished stone churches (stained glass, church bells) built ca Westernmost outpost of medieval Christendom- Bishop, Law codes, monasteries….social stratification.

After 1300…things fall apart? No more churches constructed after 1300 Western Settlement abandoned ca Last recorded contact Eastern Settlement probably extinct ca

Declining demand for ivory? The impact of cultural change

985 AD F E 14th Century AD 12th Century AD Fig. 1: Central Greenland derived palaeotemperatures (GISP ) E: Departures from mean (right hand scale) F: Cumulative departures from mean (left hand scale)

Whale Hunters and Warriors ? Warfare around the Pacific rim intensifies in the first millennium AD. Archaeological finds of slat armor and barbed arrows in the Bering sea area. Phases of intensive whaling correlate with intensified warfare & social ranking.

Thule-Norse culture contact moves into the Norse Settlement areas. By 1300, Thule winter settlements appear in the outer fjord and fjord mouth zones of the Western Settlement. Thule migrants discover Norse farms in the inner fjords. If conflict occurs, the Thule are positioned to cut off Norse access to migratory seals.

Well adapted but still dead….. Norse resource use is sustainable (450 years!) No erosion disaster No caribou extinction Communal labor coordination for : Sealing Sea Bird hunting Walrus hunt / Norðursetur Written laws for communal resource use (no tragedy of these commons) Both top down and bottom up regulation & enforcement. Old colonists vs. tramps? K vs. r???

Smarter than Vikings??????

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIII Resources Time Initial Enhanced by Fields Fertiliser Introductions Knowledge Marine harvests Population Population decline initially forces Contraction of resource utilisation Subsequent resource shortage continues population decline Extinction Social collapse Failure of communal provisioning

Viking Age Settlement & Circumpolar Geography