Pacal Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> In a previous thread mention was made concerning
> the disapearance of the Greenland colonies see
> Here:
> [www.hallofmaat.com]
> 3341, concerning its disapearance at the end of
> the 15th and into the early 16th century.
>
> The problem is that this is likely incorrect.
>
> From modern evaluation of the evidence of
> preserved clothing that was used to date the
> demise of the Greenland colonies to c. 1500 C.E.,
> (based on comparisons with continental European
> costumes), is wrong. It appears that the costumes
> in fact resemble clothing worn in Iceland c. 1420
> C.E., that combined with the fact carbon 14 dating
> results for the last of the Greenland settlement
> cluster in the first half of the 15th century
> point to a end of the Greenland colonies by 1450
> C.E.
>
> See Vikings: The North Atlantic Saga, Ed. William
> W. Fitzhugh, Elisabeth I. Ward, Smithsonian, New
> York, 2000, "The Demise of Norse Greenland", by
> Thomas H. McGovern, pp. 327-339.
>
> Regarding Kristen Seaver's theory in The Frozen
> Echo, of the demise of the Greenland colony,
> (i.e., its moving to the Americas), since it
> depends apon a particular view of circumstances
> regarding the North Atlantic Economy c. 1500 C.E.,
> it is fataly undermined if the date for the end is
> pushed back to c. 1450 C.E.
>
Kirsten is of course aware of the dating of the clothing, but she says that "the lack of precise datings associated with the last phase of Norse habitation prevents certainty about the date of closure of the Eastern Settlement.

She quotes one story from 'Ole Worm' which she believes suggests English trade with Greenland at least as late as 1480.

But she's quite clear that nothing at the moment can be said to be certain as to when the last Norse left Greenland (or died there).

Doug Weller

Director The Hall of Ma'at
Doug's Skeptical Archaeology site::
[www.ramtops.co.uk]