Scientists have found evidence suggesting that Vikings may have experienced a Ragnarok, an apocalyptic event in Norse mythology.
According to mythology, the world will undergo “Fimbulwinter,” a great winter lasting three years before the apocalypse of Ragnarok occurs. Blizzards blow from all directions, temperatures plummet, famine, suffering, and war spread. Shortly thereafter, Ragnarok is destined to begin.
Illustration of the Fimbulwinter event before Ragnarok occurs – (Image: Wiki).
Ragnarok is often interpreted as a symbolic event emphasizing the rise and fall of human civilization, the power of nature, and the destruction and rebirth in Norse mythology.
However, recent research from the National Museum of Denmark indicates that “volcanic winter” may be a sign of the apocalypse and the origin of Fimbulwinter, according to IFLScience on November 3.
The year 536 AD is regarded as the worst year in human history when one or possibly multiple volcanoes erupted in the Northern Hemisphere. This event created a “volcanic winter” that blanketed the globe in ash and sulfur gases, preventing sunlight from reaching the surface.
Life around the world was affected: China experienced snowfall in summer, average temperatures in Europe dropped by 2.5 degrees Celsius, Peru faced droughts, and the plague eventually reached Egypt by 541.
“There are many speculations about this, but this is the first time we can demonstrate that perhaps the largest climate disaster in human history affected Denmark catastrophically,” said senior researcher Morten Fischer Mortensen, who works at the museum.
Previously, scientists were unclear about how this climatic event affected Denmark. However, new research on Denmark’s agricultural practices from the Bronze Age to the Viking Age has highlighted its severity.
The research team reached this conclusion by examining tree rings from over 100 pieces of oak wood from the 6th century, showing that these trees barely grew during this period, especially throughout the summers from 539 to 541.
Tree rings showing 6th-century oaks barely grew – (Image: The National Museum of Denmark).
“When trees can’t grow, nothing can be planted in the fields. In a society where everyone relies on agriculture, this is a catastrophic consequence. In Norway and Sweden, researchers believe that up to half the population may have died, and it is unimaginable that this didn’t also happen in Denmark,” Mortensen stated.
Analyses of crops in subsequent years indicate that people had to diversify their crops to ensure food security. The cultivation of rye, which became increasingly popular in the following centuries, is a testament to this, as rye requires less sunlight than other grains.
Of course, this is not definitive evidence that Fimbulwinter in mythology is based on these events, but the coincidence is quite compelling.
“Mythology may be a product of imagination but may also contain echoes of truth from a distant past. Many have speculated whether Fimbulwinter refers to the climate disaster of the 6th century, and now we can affirm that there is a remarkable coincidence with what we can scientifically prove,” Mortensen concluded.
The study was published in the journal Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports.
