Greenland Norse Colonies in the 1320s

Timeline

1. 1321–1325Gardar · Eastern SettlementIn the early 1320s, Norse settlers in Greenland continued raising cattle and sheep on limited pastureland, supplementing protein with seals, seabirds, and reindeer. The cathedral and farm estates formed the core of the community, and the rhythm of winter food storage and summer hunting determined the colony's annual subsistence cycle.
2. 1325–1330Western Settlement · Western SettlementIn the mid-to-late 1320s, merchant ship traffic between Greenland, Norway, and Iceland grew increasingly rare, making imported ironware, timber, and church supplies difficult to obtain. Thule Inuit moved south from the north, competing with Norse settlers for hunting grounds and resources. Archaeological and documentary evidence shows that although the colony still persisted, population and building activity were already declining, foreshadowing final loss of contact in the 15th century.