Ancient DNA Challenges Iceland's Settlement History
Biochemical evidence indicates that Norse people may have settled in Iceland nearly 70 years earlier than the historically accepted date of the 870s. Contrary to popular belief, their arrival might not have caused the large-scale deforestation often attributed to Viking settlers.
Historical Perspective on Iceland's Settlement
Traditional accounts suggest Iceland was first settled in the 870s. This migration is frequently described as an ecological disaster, where Norse settlers cleared vast forests for fuel, construction, and farmland. Today, forests cover only about 2% of Iceland.
New Archaeological and DNA Findings
Firm evidence of the settlers' arrival date has been elusive. Archaeologists discovered an ancient wooden longhouse near Stöðvarfjörður fjord in eastern Iceland dated to around AD 874. Beneath it lies an older longhouse, likely a summer settlement from the 800s, although this has not yet been published in scientific literature.
Eske Willerslev from the University of Copenhagen and his team analyzed environmental DNA (eDNA) from sediment cores taken at Lake Tjörnin in Reykjavík—one of Iceland’s earliest and longest-occupied sites—to identify species present during the initial settlement period.
"Historical accounts suggest that people first settled in Iceland in the 870s."
"Forests now cover just 2 per cent of the country."
Significance of the Findings
These new data suggest Norse settlers arrived earlier and their impact on Iceland’s forests may have been less severe than traditionally thought, potentially rewriting the understanding of early Icelandic settlement and environmental history.
Author's summary: New DNA evidence suggests Norse settlers reached Iceland decades earlier than thought, and their arrival may not have caused the widespread deforestation previously assumed.