By examining ancient walrus DNA, an international research team led by Lund University in Sweden have retraced the walrus ivory trade routes of the Viking Age. They found that Norse Vikings and Arctic Indigenous peoples were probably meeting and trading ivory in remote parts of High Arctic Greenland, several centuries before Christopher Columbus “discovered” North America. The study is now published in Science Advances.
“On a more human level these remarkable encounters, framed within the vast and intimidating landscapes of the High Arctic, would probably have involved a degree of curiosity, fascination and excitement.”
Lost Norse of Greenland Fueled the Medieval Ivory Trade, Ancient Walrus DNA Suggests
Viking Colonies Collapsed Through Over Hunting Walruses
