Scandinavia experienced the real end of the world. Like in the myth of Ragnarok

Ragnarok in Norse mythology is the term for the end of the world during which the gods fight against the giants in a great battle. But for this event to begin, several conditions were necessary. One of them is Fimbulwinter – a harsh winter lasting three years. Recent research shows that an almost identical event actually took place. Leading, as predicted, to a huge number of deaths among the inhabitants of Norway and Sweden.

A trail hidden in the trees

Researchers from the National Museum of Denmark reached this conclusion by analyzing the rings of local trees. According to their calculations, the event may have occurred about 1,500 years ago. According to scientists, this could have been caused by a volcanic eruption, which released a huge amount of ash and sulfur compounds into the air, which could rapidly cool the climate. Traces of prolonged cold were found in 650 pieces of oak from the period between 300 and 800 AD – describes the Daily Mail. Around 540 the rings had dramatically low growth, indicating very poor growing conditions.

This also translates into agriculture. In the event of disastrous harvests for several years, the food situation could become exceptionally dire. As Danish researchers point out, the situation may also be confirmed by finds of gold, which could have been an offering to the gods to ask for their return of warmth. These events could therefore have formed the basis for the famous Nordic myth about the end of the world. All the more so because the cooling at that time had a global dimension – it is described by sources from the Roman Empire and China. However, it is not known whether volcanoes were responsible for it, and if so, which of them were responsible.