By examining ancient walrus DNA, researchers have traced Viking ivory trade routes, revealing deeper interactions between Norse Vikings and Indigenous Arctic peoples, particularly the Thule Inuit.
What really surprised us was that much of the walrus ivory exported back to Europe was originating in very remote hunting grounds located deep into the High Arctic. Previously, it has always been assumed that the Norse simply hunted walrus close to their main settlements in southwest Greenland,
We extracted ancient DNA from walrus samples recovered from a wide range of locations across the North Atlantic Arctic. With this information in place, we could then match the genetic profiles of walrus artefacts traded by Greenland Norse into Europe back to very specific Arctic hunting grounds.
As Vikings ventured into the Arctic, they did not encounter an empty wilderness. The Thule Inuit and other Indigenous peoples had long been established in these regions, hunting walrus and other marine mammals.
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