There is plenty of speculation on prolonged Norse colonization of Greenland and Vinland... But what about the other way around? Suppose, before the Viking Age begins, the Dorset or Thule cultures manage to reach Iceland before its European discovery. They settle and adapt to the island. What happens when the Norse arrive? Does a hybrid culture develop? Does this result in earlier, sustained contact between Europe and the New World? Would Iceland still be considered part of Europe today, or would it be considered part of North America? Or, would the Icelandic Eskimos simply be wiped out and forgotten?
Sikko Nunaat
- Thread starter pa_dutch
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I don't know about that - the Inuit could in Greenland. But the Norse would certainly dominate the Icelandic economy. If the local population (which must have considerable maritime prowess to get there) lives along the coast, they may be able to remain relatively undisturbed along the northern shores. The relationship could be akin to that between the Norse and the Sami. Of course if times get really bad, the Norse might just decide they can do without the competition for fisheries...
HueyLong
Banned
I understood that Greenland was abandoned first by an Inuit culture, then the Norse came and abandoned it, and then another Inuit culture came in.
Besides, Iceland is much better for a farmer culture than greenalnd. It isn't as harsh in climate as Sami lands (who were pastoral and had a long history of contact with the Norse) and was even less harsh before the Little Ice Age.
Besides, Iceland is much better for a farmer culture than greenalnd. It isn't as harsh in climate as Sami lands (who were pastoral and had a long history of contact with the Norse) and was even less harsh before the Little Ice Age.
I don't think the inuit would have much effect on Norse colonization in Iceland. The native population would be either eliminated or marginalized within a generally nordic european cultural model.
However, the question about whether or not Iceland would be considered part of Europe or North America is very interesting. It has more than geographic import. If Iceland came to be considered part of "The New World" because of its native inhabitants, this could have major effects on later geopolitical events. An Iceland considered conceptually part of North America might fall under British control in the same way the later Dutch settlements in the New World did. Even if nominally under the Danes, it would be conceptually more "'up for grabs". Later, if the USA came to exist in its OTL form, it is very likely the Monroe Doctrine would have been extended to Iceland. Perhaps the USA would have occupied the island on a number of occasions to protect American interests as they did in latin america. Perhaps it would be a part of Canada or British North America.
However, the question about whether or not Iceland would be considered part of Europe or North America is very interesting. It has more than geographic import. If Iceland came to be considered part of "The New World" because of its native inhabitants, this could have major effects on later geopolitical events. An Iceland considered conceptually part of North America might fall under British control in the same way the later Dutch settlements in the New World did. Even if nominally under the Danes, it would be conceptually more "'up for grabs". Later, if the USA came to exist in its OTL form, it is very likely the Monroe Doctrine would have been extended to Iceland. Perhaps the USA would have occupied the island on a number of occasions to protect American interests as they did in latin america. Perhaps it would be a part of Canada or British North America.
Suppose the Dorset people find Iceland several centuries before the Norse. Iceland's climate is pretty different from the Canadian and Greenlandic Arctic, so adapting to the new climate may bring about population growth. This might lead the Icelandic Dorset to adopt agriculture... Perhaps they invent it independently, or maybe they pick it up from the Irish monks that the Norse claim visited Iceland before they arrived. After all, the Eskimos and the monks are both pacifist, so they might be more successful in an exchange of ideas than the Vikings and the Skraelings were in OTL. Is this plausible?
HueyLong
Banned
Iceland is too harsh to view agriculture as an immediate advantage. And, the Irish monks are going to be hard pressed to bring them suitable crops, and probably can't bring them livestock.
Oh, and while disease is less of a factor in the north, there is going to be an epidemic or two when the Norse arrive.
Oh, and while disease is less of a factor in the north, there is going to be an epidemic or two when the Norse arrive.
I like the concept (But of course 
):
The first Inuits are speculated to have arrived to Iceland in the 5th century ad. Little is known about them as Icelands volcanic earth has high acid and doesn´t preserve well. However some findings have illuminated us on how these people live.
In the first century the inuits continued their livestyle of fishing and stayed along the coastline, mostly in the south. In those days Iceland possessed big forests and the inuits embraced that, building huts out of wood and carving. Some artwork from that era were discovered in Thorsmork valley few decades ago. They are not very typical for the Dorset people in Greenland and Canada, and it seems that already then the inuits were starting to form a different culture more fitting to their surroundings.
In the beginning of the seventh century Irish people arrived to the island. The inuits and the ires which were known to the norse as papes were friendly. The Ires settled on the south coast of Iceland (according to some OTL theories they did) and introduced to the inuits many new things.
The inuits did not settle like the Ires although they started trading with them. Some marriages between the two people did occur, after all both communities were very small and wanted to avoid inbreeding. The ires brought to Iceland cattle and grew wheat. They introduced to the inuits with some success christianity although they never managed to purge them of their pagan believes.
At the end of the ninth century the first norse arrived. At first they were friendly as well although conflict started later on when some inuits were enslaved. The Icelandic saga, Egil Saga, mentions how Egil´s father Grim manages to drive out of the fjord they settle, the local inuits. The norse often referred to them as trolls and looked down upon them. However just like with the irish interbreeding occurred and trade was vibrant.
By the year 1000 the irish had all either vanished or become part of the norse culture and the inuits had been driven from the best areas, to the northwest coast and south east coast. However as Njals saga tells us, the inuits had representation on the althingi when christianity was adopted in Iceland, and some heroes in the later written icelandic sagas are clearly of inuit origin.
The Icelandic inuit culture was unique and in modern Iceland there are still traces of it. The last hunters were still around in the 19th century on the northwest peninsula, but genome research has proved that as much as 30% of the icelandic genome is of inuit origin.
Note: OTL genome research proved Icelanders and greenlanders were related although it was less than 20%, around 50% of genes were of celtic origin, (or atleast believed to be), and some types in Icelandic have faces that remind one sometimes more of asians or nativeamerican than european, despite being white. (Take a look at Bjork for example).
well have to go.
):The first Inuits are speculated to have arrived to Iceland in the 5th century ad. Little is known about them as Icelands volcanic earth has high acid and doesn´t preserve well. However some findings have illuminated us on how these people live.
In the first century the inuits continued their livestyle of fishing and stayed along the coastline, mostly in the south. In those days Iceland possessed big forests and the inuits embraced that, building huts out of wood and carving. Some artwork from that era were discovered in Thorsmork valley few decades ago. They are not very typical for the Dorset people in Greenland and Canada, and it seems that already then the inuits were starting to form a different culture more fitting to their surroundings.
In the beginning of the seventh century Irish people arrived to the island. The inuits and the ires which were known to the norse as papes were friendly. The Ires settled on the south coast of Iceland (according to some OTL theories they did) and introduced to the inuits many new things.
The inuits did not settle like the Ires although they started trading with them. Some marriages between the two people did occur, after all both communities were very small and wanted to avoid inbreeding. The ires brought to Iceland cattle and grew wheat. They introduced to the inuits with some success christianity although they never managed to purge them of their pagan believes.
At the end of the ninth century the first norse arrived. At first they were friendly as well although conflict started later on when some inuits were enslaved. The Icelandic saga, Egil Saga, mentions how Egil´s father Grim manages to drive out of the fjord they settle, the local inuits. The norse often referred to them as trolls and looked down upon them. However just like with the irish interbreeding occurred and trade was vibrant.
By the year 1000 the irish had all either vanished or become part of the norse culture and the inuits had been driven from the best areas, to the northwest coast and south east coast. However as Njals saga tells us, the inuits had representation on the althingi when christianity was adopted in Iceland, and some heroes in the later written icelandic sagas are clearly of inuit origin.
The Icelandic inuit culture was unique and in modern Iceland there are still traces of it. The last hunters were still around in the 19th century on the northwest peninsula, but genome research has proved that as much as 30% of the icelandic genome is of inuit origin.
Note: OTL genome research proved Icelanders and greenlanders were related although it was less than 20%, around 50% of genes were of celtic origin, (or atleast believed to be), and some types in Icelandic have faces that remind one sometimes more of asians or nativeamerican than european, despite being white. (Take a look at Bjork for example).
well have to go.
More like one hundreth or something. There are theories that the norse on Greenland mixed with the inuits, or at least stole women from them, and then their descendants returned home to Iceland. That´d have occurred somewhere between 1200-1400. I don´t know how plausible it sounds but...
all I know is that there has been proved a relation between Icelanders and inuits. Of course we´re more related to the Norwegians, Irish and Scots, but still some mixing occurred.However if inuits had settled Iceland, yes, then I suppose me and Björk would be half inuits, per say.
It's also possible that Bjork has some distant Sami ancestry, though the Inuit theory is much more intriguing.
Nice scenario, Fabilius. Is the Icelandic Inuit dialect preserved, or is it simply replaced by the Norse Icelandic language early on? Are the Inuit eventually Christianized, before becoming fully absorbed into the general population? Might the Icelanders in this scenario play a stronger role in the later (or sooner) colonization of the New World?
Nice scenario, Fabilius. Is the Icelandic Inuit dialect preserved, or is it simply replaced by the Norse Icelandic language early on? Are the Inuit eventually Christianized, before becoming fully absorbed into the general population? Might the Icelanders in this scenario play a stronger role in the later (or sooner) colonization of the New World?