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Cited by 146Viking Age and Medieval ScandinaviaArchaeology and ancient environmental studiesCultural Heritage Materials Analysis

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Was it for walrus? Viking Age settlement and medieval walrus ivory trade in Iceland and Greenland

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Frei, Karin M., Coutu, Ashley N., Smiarowski, Konrad, Harrison, Ramona, Madsen, Christian K., Arneborg, Jette, Frei, Robert, Guðmundsson, Gardar, Sindbæk, Søren M., Woollett, James, Hartman, Steven, Hicks, Megan, McGovern, Thomas H.·2015·World Archaeology
DOI 10.1080/00438243.2015.1025912
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Abstract

Walrus-tusk ivory and walrus-hide rope were highly desired goods in Viking Age north-west Europe. New finds of walrus bone and ivory in early Viking Age contexts in Iceland are concentrated in the south-west, and suggest extensive exploitation of nearby walrus for meat, hide and ivory during the first century of settlement. In Greenland, archaeofauna suggest a very different specialized long-distance hunting of the much larger walrus populations in the Disko Bay area that brought mainly ivory to the settlement areas and eventually to European markets. New lead isotopic analysis of archaeological walrus ivory and bone from Greenland and Iceland offers a tool for identifying possible source regions of walrus ivory during the early Middle Ages. This opens possibilities for assessing the development and relative importance of hunting grounds from the point of view of exported products.

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  • The transition into a North Atlantic Medieval Warm Period (MWP) coincided with the Viking expansion across the Arctic region to settle first in Iceland (~877 CE) and then in southern Greenland (~985 CE).

    “This transition into a North Atlantic Medieval Warm Period (MWP) coincided with the Viking expansion across the Arctic region to settle first in Iceland (~877 CE) and then in southern Greenland (~985 CE) 85,86 .”

    From Decadal-to-centennial increases of volcanic aerosols from Iceland challenge the concept of a Medieval Quiet Period (2024) · cites this paper as [85]

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Research works printed but not linked: 27

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Authors
Frei, K. M., Coutu, A. N., Smiarowski, K., Harrison, R., Madsen, C. K., Arneborg, J., Frei, R., Guðmundsson, G., Sindbæk, S. M., Woollett, J., Hartman, S., Hicks, M., & McGovern, T. H.
Affiliations
  • National Museum of Denmark (DK)
  • University of Cape Town (ZA)
  • City University of New York
  • City University of New York (US)
  • University of Copenhagen (DK)
  • Archaeological Institute of Iceland
  • Aarhus University (DK)
  • Université Laval (CA)
  • Mid Sweden University (SE)
Corresponding author
Frei, Karin M.
ORCID
Venue
World Archaeology
Publisher
Informa UK Limited
Published
2015-04-20
Volume
47
Issue
3
Pages
439-466
ISSN
  • 0043-8243 (ISSN-L)
  • 1470-1375
DOI
10.1080/00438243.2015.1025912
OpenAlex
W2107317398
Cited by
146
References
48
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 13 · 2023: 19 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 18 · 2020: 11 · 2019: 45 · 2018: 13 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 4
FWCI
157.52
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
other-oa
Locations
  • World Archaeology (publishedVersion)
  • Ministry of Culture Research Portal (publishedVersion)
  • CUNY Academic Works (City University of New York) (submittedVersion)
  • Publications (Mid Sweden University) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • Research at the University of Copenhagen (University of Copenhagen) (submittedVersion)
  • Newcastle University ePrints (Newcastle Univesity)
Funders
  • National Science Foundation (1202692, 1140106, 0732327, 1119354, 1203823, 1203268)
  • Wenner-Gren Foundation
  • American-Scandinavian Foundation
  • National Geographic Society
  • Aarhus Universitet
  • Leverhulme Trust
  • Icelandic Centre for Research
  • Danmarks Frie Forskningsfond (11-103378)
  • Háskóli Íslands
  • Forsknings- og Innovationsstyrelsen
  • Arts and Humanities Research Council (AH/G015430/1)
  • Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada
  • Danish Agency for Science and Higher Education (11-103378)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › History › Viking Age and Medieval Scandinavia
  • Social Sciences › Archeology › Archaeology and ancient environmental studies
  • Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Archeology (arts and humanities) › Cultural Heritage Materials Analysis
Keywords
walrus hunting, Viking Age settlement, medieval commerce, Disko Bay, Greenland, exports

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