Fig. 2. Patterns of Greenland Norse walrus exploitation shifted over time.

Dated walrus artifacts sourced to different Arctic hunting grounds (n = 31). Artifacts were allocated chronologically to either the Early Period or Late Period of Norse Greenland (before/after 1120 CE), plus allocated more specific date ranges if available (see table S2). Numbered bands are individual artifacts (for full provenance information, see table S2, using WLR0 + sample number); the colors match specific walrus stocks in the inset map (right). The main trends in exploitation indicate the following: (i) initial Norse harvesting focused on stocks near Iceland (II and III); (ii) Early Period Greenland Norse mainly harvested the local stock (IV) located near to their main settlements; and (iii) the increasing importance of High Arctic walrus stocks in the Late Period, especially the North Water Polynya (V), and also Foxe Basin (I and VI). Last, the following should also be noted (iv) even in the Early Period, Greenland Norse were also acquiring some ivory from distant walrus stocks (I, VI, and V); and (v) Late Period harvesting continued at the local stock (IV). The expanding geographic range of Greenland Norse walrus harvesting likely led to initial Tuniit encounters in several different areas; more definitive interactions with expanding Thule Inuit populations probably focused on the North Water Polynya (V). No artifacts were sourced to the Canadian Maritimes or to Svalbard (see table S2 and the main text). Figure: E.J.R.-P. and coauthors.