The tales of European explorers are replete with unpleasant stories of advanced people who cannot adapt to the harsh new conditions. The only exception is the Vikings, whose colonies appeared in the 11th century Greenland and lived in this area for five centuries.
Of course, modernity has ample record of Franklin's unsuccessful expedition in search of the northwest Burke Willis pass in Australia in 1860. Several survivors of these ill-fated expeditions have told stories of how indigenous peoples helped them survive.
Hated Europeans Saved by Native Americans
One of the most striking examples is the Jamestown colony. Of course, the Puritan colonies eventually became very successful, but the early years of their development are steeped in tales of ignorant European adventurers who experienced hunger and high mortality until they were helped by the indigenous peoples who taught them how to survive. in local conditions.
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History of the Spanish conquistadors
The Spanish conquistadors in Texas found themselves in exactly such a situation in 1528, when many of the members of Panfilo de Narvaez's expedition missed the ship that was sailing home and decided to settle in Mexico. They were assisted by the amiable hunter-gatherers of Karankawa, who showed them how to find food before they were caught by the less kind people who enslaved them.
Anthropologist Joseph Heinrich and other researchers interpret such disastrous expeditions as evidence that humans cannot truly survive in nature without extensive legacy information on how to succeed in local conditions.
Viking colony in Greenland
For a long time, the presence of the Viking colony in Greenland was also rated as survival in the wild, but not so long ago, anthropologists have collected a lot of evidence that casts doubt on this point of view.
An important point is that the colony actually existed for almost 500 years - from the end of the 10th century to the middle of the 15th century. Moreover, the analysis of the skeletons shows that each person was in good physical condition during his time in the area. The disintegration of the colony was orderly given that all cultural values were preserved.
The settlement of the Vikings took place during the warm medieval period. Expatriates from Norway, Denmark and Iceland settled on hundreds of farms along the sheltered fjords. The success of the colonization of these areas is evidenced by the construction of dozens of churches.
Until recently, scientists assumed that climatic changes associated with a decrease in temperature led to a sharp cold snap in the middle of the 13th century, which made it difficult to grow food. This provoked famine and the extinction of the population. Although such views are wrong.
Historical research reveals a new picture of the emergence of a vital trading outpost that exported seal skins and valuable sea tusks, which were used for ivory carving, for example in churches.
The colonists adapted to the shrinking harvest due to the increasingly colder climate by turning their attention to seafood. At the end of their stay in the area, they ate seals and fish. This is evidenced by the analysis of their bones.
As for the question of why the colony was abandoned, scientists associate this phenomenon with the collapse of the ivory trade. The demand for seal skins also declined, so that regular shipping from Norway declined in the middle of the 14th century.
Without items such as iron tools and lumber, life on the island became more difficult, isolated and monotonous.
Viking adaptation in Greenland
The standard explanation that gracious Aboriginal people shared their experiences with European researchers does not fit in this case. The nearest settlements were several hundred miles away. The Viking settlements were completely lonely.
As the climate cooled rapidly, the colonists shifted their focus from agriculture to hunting and fishing and made this transition over several generations.
They stopped raising cattle because large animals like cows and sheep found it difficult to keep warm during the long, cold winters.
Seal meat became a staple food for the Vikings, and they also used oil-type lamps as a source of heat and light in houses that were built from turf.
Interesting findings
Contrary to the assertion of Joseph Heinrich and other researchers, the Viking colony in Greenland proves that people do not need the accumulated knowledge of many generations to adapt to completely new natural conditions. This can be achieved through intelligent problem solving by individuals.
No one has ever argued that surviving in new conditions is an easy matter. After all, many expeditions have failed. The Viking colony in Greenland is one example of successful adaptation. Wildlife did not hinder their development.
Unfortunately, the details of their lives are unclear. We know that these people survived and were very strong and healthy. Their success can be explained not by the fact that they benefited from the previous experience of others, but by the fact that they found ways to overcome difficulties with their own strength and mind.
Maya Muzashvili