Nova Scotia has some gold deposits that don't need digging to be explored, at least that is what this site [link here] says. Let's say that some norseman venturing inland for... well, doesn't matter the reason, find one of those places where gold could be panned, also let's say that he is lucky and find some rather big nuggets of gold. What could happen next?
What if the Norse find gold in Nova Scotia?
- Thread starter Diego
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For a minute there, I thought this was going to be about Oak Island.
Seriously though, I would guess it would mean a lot more Norse immigration to North America, assuming that they sail back to Iceland or Scandinavia. They would probably call Nova Scotia "Goldland" or whatever the Norse equivalent is. How many would come to mine the gold and how many would stay depends on how much gold they find.
Seriously though, I would guess it would mean a lot more Norse immigration to North America, assuming that they sail back to Iceland or Scandinavia. They would probably call Nova Scotia "Goldland" or whatever the Norse equivalent is. How many would come to mine the gold and how many would stay depends on how much gold they find.
I don't know if the Norse even knew how to extract golf flakes from silt beds, probably just picking up a nugget every now and then. After all Greenland has gold and gemstones but those were never really exploited to my knowledge.
And going by Wikipedia there were small discoveries but it wasn't significant until the late 19th century.
In all honesty the real gold from Nova Scotia would be wax from the Bayberry. Would make a decent export item to Iceland. Not to mention other goods like stockfish and Maple derived sugars and syrups.
And going by Wikipedia there were small discoveries but it wasn't significant until the late 19th century.
In all honesty the real gold from Nova Scotia would be wax from the Bayberry. Would make a decent export item to Iceland. Not to mention other goods like stockfish and Maple derived sugars and syrups.
twovultures
Donor
That is a pretty interesting product. Something usable in creating fragrances could very well provide the economic basis to maintain a colony permanently.
It's worth pointing out that the Norse had nothing like the numbers or political unity that the Spanish had, so they won't be able to take nearly as much land. Diseases would likely be introduced in a more spread out manner instead of all at once too. Depending on how long they have to recover from diseases and for Norse technology to spread, this could potentially make European conquests in Mesoamerica, the Andes, ect. much harder.
Whether the gold could actually be exploited actually seems fairly irrelevant. The more important question is if they would try. If it's not really something that the Norse settlers at the time would try then it doesn't really change anything. If they would then it's very likely that you'd see increased settlement and more determination to hold on to it. The indigenous numbers on Newfoundland are low. It would not take a huge increase in the size of the colony to significantly lessen, if not eliminate the direct threat from them.
If you reach that point they colony is going to be sustained. Even if gold extraction doesn't take off there are other industries that can be discovered and exploited in the years it will take to realize gold is a bust, bayberry wax and maple sugar have already been mentioned. Even if that isn't the case without a distinct threat from the locals I don't see them abandoning the settlement. Why would they? To go back to the comfort of Greenland? To be landless in Iceland? Or to make the long journey all the way back to Norway/Denmark? They may not thrive, but they'll fare no worse than Greenland.
If you reach that point they colony is going to be sustained. Even if gold extraction doesn't take off there are other industries that can be discovered and exploited in the years it will take to realize gold is a bust, bayberry wax and maple sugar have already been mentioned. Even if that isn't the case without a distinct threat from the locals I don't see them abandoning the settlement. Why would they? To go back to the comfort of Greenland? To be landless in Iceland? Or to make the long journey all the way back to Norway/Denmark? They may not thrive, but they'll fare no worse than Greenland.