On Wednesday 07 Sep 2005 00:29, ken barber wrote:
> by the way do you know why greenland was named
> greenland?  but i digress.
>

Yep, if you read "Eric the Red's Saga" (written in 13th century Iceland, but
based on oral tradition) you'll get the whole tale.

The parts of southern Greenland which these norsemen inhabited from 985 was
"green" and is still today (see
<http://www.greenland-guide.dk/outdoor_life_photo.htm>).

These norse settlements severely declined during the Little Ice Age - probably
due to failure of their Barley crops (the temp was < 1 degree colder but the
winter snow would have stayed longer), and failure to adapt such as the
Innuit did who lived much further North where it *always has been "white".

*Well, always, as in "Modern Geologic Times"!!

Hope this answers your question.

Cheers

Deri