The mystery of the warrior family disappeared because of an extinct creature

Archaeological evidence shows that when a unique Greenland walrus species became extinct in the 15th century, it also carried the legendary Viking civilization.

Research from the University of Cambridge (UK), the University of Oslo and the University of Trondheim (Norway), led by Dr. James Barrett from the University of Cambridge, analyzed the intricate ivory artifacts of ancient walruses. Great and special ever existed in Greenland with 67 fragments of the skull of this mysterious creature to find the lost history of the 1400s.

2 ancient walrus ivory chess pieces created by the Vikings - (photo: REX).

Accordingly, from the 15th century onwards, in the northernmost island of Greenland once existed a special hippocampus (also known by the French transliteration is a trailer). It became extinct 600 years ago. The walruses we see today are just cousins.

It was this walrus that created the livelihood of the Vikings in exile. Earlier, they began settling down in Greenland in 950, after being pushed out of their native Exile. In the new settlement, this warrior group of people used their hunting skills to get ivory walrus to create extremely delicate objects.

An skull of an extinct Greenland walrus - (photo courtesy of the research team)

The analysis of ancient artifacts shows that most of the walrus ivory traded throughout medieval Europe originated with the Vikings in Greenland, because the ivory only belonged to that particular walrus.

A living relative, similar in appearance to the extinct ancient Greenland walrus - (photo: SHUTTERSTOCK)

But after years of maintaining Viking society in the new land, they continued to fall into the same line when the unique hippocampus of Greenland Island was hunted to extinction. Losing livelihood, they continue to disintegrate, exile, population decline. The legend of the Vikings ends from there.

The research has just been published in the scientific journal Quaternary Science Reviews.