The Western Settlement (Old Norse: Vestribygð[ˈwestreˌbyɣð]) was a group of farms and communities established by Norsemen from Iceland around 985 in medieval Greenland. Despite its name, the Western Settlement was more north than west of its companion Eastern Settlement and was located at the bottom of the deep Nuup Kangerluafjord (inland from Nuuk, the modern-day Greenlandic capital).[1]
Map of the Western Settlement of the Norse in medieval Greenland, in the modern municipality of Sermersooq. The known farms (red dots) and churches are identified, as well as some probable geographical names. "The farm under the sand" is more commonly known as "GUS" from its Danish name "Gården under sandet".
Much less is known about the Western Settlement than the Eastern Settlement, as there is very little mention and no direct description of it in any of the medieval sources on Greenland. At its peak, the Western Settlement probably had about 1,000 inhabitants, about a quarter of the size of the Eastern Settlement, owing to its shorter growing season. The largest of the Western Settlement farms was Sandnæs. Ruins of almost 95 farms have been found in the area.[2]
The Western Settlement was last mentioned by Ivar Bardarson (Ivar Bårdsson), a Norwegian cleric who was sent to Greenland in 1341 to serve as superintendent of the bishop's seat at Gardar in the Eastern Settlement. After the death of Bishop Árni in 1347 or 1348, Greenland was without a bishop until Bishop Álfur was ordained in 1365 and arrived in 1368. Ivar Bardsson served as principal of the diocese during the interim period. In his voyage to the Western Settlement, he found only vacant farms. He subsequently wrote to the Bishop of Bergen to describe conditions he observed. By 1360 he had returned to Bergen to serve as a Canon of Bergen Cathedral.[3][4]
The demise of the Western Settlement coincides with a decrease in summer and winter temperatures commonly known as the Little Ice Age. A study of North Atlantic seasonal temperature variability showed a significant decrease in maximum summer temperatures beginning in the late 13th century to early 14th century—as much as 6-8 °C lower than modern summer temperatures.[5] The study also found that the lowest winter temperatures of the last 2000 years occurred in the late 14th century and early 15th century.
^Stefansson, Magnus. "Ivar Bårdsson, Geistlig". Norsk biografisk leksikon. Retrieved October 17, 2015.
^"Ivar Bårdsson". Store norske leksikon. February 15, 2009. Retrieved October 17, 2015.
^William P. Patterson, Kristin A. Dietrich, Chris Holmden, and John T. Andrews (2010) Two millennia of North Atlantic seasonality and implications for Norse colonies
Other sourcesedit
Diamond, Jared (2012) Norse Greenland: A Controlled Experiment in Collapse--A Selection from Collapse (Penguin) ISBN9781101629352
Jones, Gwyn (1964) The Norse Atlantic Saga: Being the Norse Voyages of Discovery and Settlement to Iceland, Greenland, America(London: Oxford University Press) ISBN978-0192851604
Lamb, Hubert H.(1995) Climate, History and the Modern World (London: Routledge) ISBN978-0415127356
Mowat, Farley (1965) Westviking: The Ancient Norse in Greenland and North America (Boston: Little, Brown) ISBN978-0771065798
Seaver, Kirsten A. (1996) The Frozen Echo: Greenland and the Exploration of North America, Ca. A.D. 1000-1500 (Stanford University Press) ISBN9780804731614
western, settlement, norse, vestribygð, ˈwestreˌbyɣð, group, farms, communities, established, norsemen, from, iceland, around, medieval, greenland, despite, name, more, north, than, west, companion, eastern, settlement, located, bottom, deep, nuup, kangerlua, . The Western Settlement Old Norse Vestribygd ˈwestreˌbyɣd was a group of farms and communities established by Norsemen from Iceland around 985 in medieval Greenland Despite its name the Western Settlement was more north than west of its companion Eastern Settlement and was located at the bottom of the deep Nuup Kangerlua fjord inland from Nuuk the modern day Greenlandic capital 1 Map of the Western Settlement of the Norse in medieval Greenland in the modern municipality of Sermersooq The known farms red dots and churches are identified as well as some probable geographical names The farm under the sand is more commonly known as GUS from its Danish name Garden under sandet Much less is known about the Western Settlement than the Eastern Settlement as there is very little mention and no direct description of it in any of the medieval sources on Greenland At its peak the Western Settlement probably had about 1 000 inhabitants about a quarter of the size of the Eastern Settlement owing to its shorter growing season The largest of the Western Settlement farms was Sandnaes Ruins of almost 95 farms have been found in the area 2 The Western Settlement was last mentioned by Ivar Bardarson Ivar Bardsson a Norwegian cleric who was sent to Greenland in 1341 to serve as superintendent of the bishop s seat at Gardar in the Eastern Settlement After the death of Bishop Arni in 1347 or 1348 Greenland was without a bishop until Bishop Alfur was ordained in 1365 and arrived in 1368 Ivar Bardsson served as principal of the diocese during the interim period In his voyage to the Western Settlement he found only vacant farms He subsequently wrote to the Bishop of Bergen to describe conditions he observed By 1360 he had returned to Bergen to serve as a Canon of Bergen Cathedral 3 4 The demise of the Western Settlement coincides with a decrease in summer and winter temperatures commonly known as the Little Ice Age A study of North Atlantic seasonal temperature variability showed a significant decrease in maximum summer temperatures beginning in the late 13th century to early 14th century as much as 6 8 C lower than modern summer temperatures 5 The study also found that the lowest winter temperatures of the last 2000 years occurred in the late 14th century and early 15th century See also editNorse settlements in Greenland Eastern Settlement Ivittuut the site of a smaller Middle Settlement Danish colonization of GreenlandReferences edit Francis Carol S 2011 The Lost Western Settlement Of Greenland 1342 PDF University of California Retrieved October 17 2015 Greenland History Archived 2012 05 07 at the Wayback Machine Stefansson Magnus Ivar Bardsson Geistlig Norsk biografisk leksikon Retrieved October 17 2015 Ivar Bardsson Store norske leksikon February 15 2009 Retrieved October 17 2015 William P Patterson Kristin A Dietrich Chris Holmden and John T Andrews 2010 Two millennia of North Atlantic seasonality and implications for Norse coloniesOther sources editDiamond Jared 2012 Norse Greenland A Controlled Experiment in Collapse A Selection from Collapse Penguin ISBN 9781101629352 Jones Gwyn 1964 The Norse Atlantic Saga Being the Norse Voyages of Discovery and Settlement to Iceland Greenland America London Oxford University Press ISBN 978 0192851604 Lamb Hubert H 1995 Climate History and the Modern World London Routledge ISBN 978 0415127356 Mowat Farley 1965 Westviking The Ancient Norse in Greenland and North America Boston Little Brown ISBN 978 0771065798 Seaver Kirsten A 1996 The Frozen Echo Greenland and the Exploration of North America Ca A D 1000 1500 Stanford University Press ISBN 978080473161464 26 N 50 26 W 64 433 N 50 433 W 64 433 50 433 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Western Settlement amp oldid 1197140607, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
