“A longer, more fruitful growing season was “challenging” ?”
Well sure, if all you know how to feed yourself is scavenging and hunting under certain conditions. BUT - the climate changes would have been fairly slow I would think that one could adapt.
Although perhaps not. The Vikings in Greenland left after years of cold weather ruined their crops (they were farmers by then). The natives offered to take them on fishing and seal trips. But the natives would hold their rituals ahead of the hunts, and the Vikings (also now Christian!) wouldn’t partake in their pagan worship.
Adapt or die. Or at least move.
I perceive this article’s verbiage to indicator the carvings are some kind of worship or “thank you” to the gods (or whatever) for life becoming pleasant