[Vigilanteman]

Not unremarkable given that:

1. The Christianization of the Nordic countries about the time Iceland was founded also resulted in a defacto abolition of slavery and concubine genes of Welsh and Gaelic origin.
   
2. The relative isolation of Iceland during the Little Ice Age (1400-1650) resulted in mass starvation and emmigration with the Welsh and Gaelic genetics being less cold tolerant and, therefore, less likely to survive during this harsh period.
   
3. The Little Ice Age arrived so suddenly that the once thriving Greenland colonies collapsed between 1410 and 1420 with very limited opportunit to escape. The last recorded marriage of a Greenland bride to an Icelandic groom took place in 1414 and he most probably saved her life by getting her out of the colony.

[Hugin]

“Welsh and Gaelic genetics being less cold tolerant”

What evidence is there of that?

[SunkenCiv]

Just making a wild guess, it wouldn't be surprising if the onset of the Little Ice age led to the withdrawal from Greenland, with the Greenlanders disproportionately resettling in Iceland. The genetic falloff between 1000 year old DNA and current DNA is otherwise probably just due to an initial difference in reproductive rates, coupled with (heh) the usual randomness of what gets passed down. As I''ve pointed out numerous times, given that we have 23 chromosome pairs, two of our grandparents are shortchanged by at least one pair (12, 11, 11, 12 is an example of the maximum amount of even-ness; and NO, our chromosomes don't set around and play 'go fish' with our genes in order to make sure, via ESP, that we have exactly one quarter of each of our grandparents' genetic heritage). Skraelings keyword:

• Vikings' mysterious abandonment of Greenland was not due to climate change, study suggests [2015]
• 2200 year old walrus bones suggest the most famous medieval chess set might be Icelandic in origin [2015]
• New North America Viking Voyage Discovered [2013]
• Easterbrook on the magnitude of Greenland GISP2 ice core data [2011]
• Inuit and viking contact in ancient times [2009]
• First American in Europe 'was native woman kidnapped by Vikings and hauled back to Iceland...' [2010]
• Tooth marks link Vikings, Indians [2006]
• The Viking farm under the sand in Greenland [2004]
• DNA Study To Settle Ancient Mystery About Mingling Of Inuit, Vikings [2003]
• Cave Skeleton Is European, 1,300 Years Old [2002]
• Are the Narragansett and other American Indians the descendants of Viking settlers? [2002]