?The Ice Age

Today, not only scientists, but also housewives enthusiastically discussing what would happen if, God forbid, will fall to Earth a huge meteorite or start heavy duty eruption. On the consequences of arguing, they are trying to predict. But who you know that you will in fact, and will at all? Meanwhile, referring to the history of mankind, we happen to know for sure we can fully how it was in the past.
It is known that the first century AD were very favorable for agriculture. The climate was so warm that even in the UK grew grapes! But at the end of IV century the cooling, the effect of which was felt in Europe until the VIII century, the average temperature was the lowest for the last 2000 years. However, special attention of scientists attracts disaster 535-536 years, which resulted in Europe come-years without a summer and came "time darkened the sun." It is assumed that the reason for these changes was the eruption, much more powerful than the famous eruption of Krakatoa, when the planet's atmosphere were thrown millions of tons of volcanic ash. According to researchers, this is very similar to the effect of a nuclear winter, which coincided with the general cooling. However, it is possible and the eruption of local, northern volcanoes, such as Europe is concerned about the recent volcanic eruption or its powerful neighbor, Katla volcano. Katla is several times larger than the famous Eyjafjallajokull, today has a diameter of 10 kilometers, according to available evidence, wakes up again.
VI century Byzantine writer Pro-copies of Caesarea in the book "War of the Vandals" - wrote about the disaster's 535-536 as follows: "This year was the greatest miracle of all year sun emits light as the moon, without rays, as if it had lost its force, no longer as before, clean and bright shine. From the time it started, do not stop in people with either war or pestilence, or some other disaster, carrying death. Then came the tenth year of the reign of Justinian.
Another writer of the time, Cassiodorus, wrote: "The air thickened with snow and cold and weak sunlight could not defuse it. He only became tighter, blocking the way solar heat. "The sun went dark, and remained dark for 18 months. Each day it shone only four hours, and this light was no more than a weak shadow - informed Bishop John of Ephesus, and added: - All say that the sun will never recover the old Lights. " Appease the gods Of course, being so scared of the Mediterranean, could, even with greater force, and appear in other places, such as in Scandinavia, especially if such a disaster occurred in Iceland. And so, in addition to the results of dendrochronology and glaciology were found archaeological evidence of the disaster, though indirect. Also discovered a large amount of treasure related in time to the first third of the VI century, which sometimes contained up to 12 kg of gold. We can assume that all these treasures there was no accident, as were ritual sacrifices, which in turn makes us think about what could have caused them in such a large scale?
However, there is nothing surprising in their large numbers. In the Mediterranean, in such cases, prayers, litanies, and the pagan Scandinavians prefer something more real - tried to appease the dying light gold! But even that was not able to give the desired effect: the darkness and the cold, and were due after all these crop failures, famine and epidemics lasted for at least 18 months! Indeed, medieval Irish Chronicles "Annals of Ulster" and "Annals Inisfallena" report poor harvest grain in 536, 537 and 539, respectively, as well as the "great death" (most likely the epidemic) that struck the country in the 540 meters, which is confirmed by samples ice, extracted from ancient strata in Greenland and the other Antarctic islands.
Great Migrations catastrophic
Saved under these conditions was only one way, namely, to settle there, where there were more resources. Immediately after 535 years such migration in Europe began almost everywhere. Angles, Saxons, Jutes began to move en masse to the British Isles, the Frisians from northern France moved into the current Friesland and further south. But Herulians - akin to the Goths tribe from Eastern Europe - on the contrary, moved north and settled all over Sweden, which have become the dominant military community that lived by robbery and filibuster. It was then that here and there were kings earls who went in their boats for the spoils of war. This type of culture has become dominant in Scandinavia, it later began their raids famous Vikings - "children of the bays." Why did this happen, we do not know exactly, but that in this relocation guilty eruption - no doubt!
Legends and myths confirm
The catastrophic eruption 535 years reflected in Scandinavian mythology. Description-velikanskoy winter "Fimbulvinter very similar message Cassiodorus. "The snow is coming down on all sides, bitter cold and fierce winds, and there is no sun. Three such winters are sdryadu (sic!), Without a summer "- these look-velikanskoy events this winter," immediately behind which was to begin Ragnarok - Twilight of the Gods ™, the end of the world. According to the prophecy, the day of Ragnarok monstrous wolf Fenrir will swallow the sun, plunging the world into darkness, but will come out of the sea coast, where the world will emerge from the depths of the serpent Jormungand. They will join and fire giant Surt with a flaming sword, which will burn the earth, and the underworld kingdom Lady Hel, and crafty Loki God of Fire, along with the frost giants - hrimtusami and mountainous giants.
Helheyma ship sails from the dead Naglfar. It is easy to imagine that the image of the monstrous wolf Fenrir could be inspired by the huge black cloud of ash thrown from the crater of the volcano. Well, romantic fantasy gave her face a wolf beast, as we know, not only predatory, but also very intelligent. It is significant that the description-velikanskoy winters here, as well as that of Cassiodorus, due to the war going on around the world. In this process of self-interest brothers kill each other, and there is no mercy for father or son in the massacres and incest. " This could happen only in a collapse of all the usual conditions of life, when people really might have thought that coming-end of time. " When the soldiers were more priests
However, perhaps, the main consequence of this event for the residents of Scandinavia has been a change of outlook and appearance of an entirely new culture, a new outlook on life, morals and traditions. Prior to this, the cyclic change of the seasons, the treatment of the priests of the gods must be seen as an important thing. Priests respected, because it is their actions to guarantee order, all seemed unshakable. And suddenly everything turned upside down! No prayer, no sacrifice of the rich were given no effect, and, no doubt, the authority of the priesthood in these conditions suffered. But the authority of the soldiers, however, only become stronger, because now you can survive only with a sword in his hand, the power of extracting themselves and their children wealth.
That is why the Viking culture was found priesthood. Warriors on experienced the ineffectiveness of their methods spells of weather and circumstances, so the priests overshadowed, relegating them to the role only healers and witch doctors. For the Vikings was enough to die with a sword in his hand to make sure you get to the gods in Valhalla, and no help priests him this was not required.

Oleg Shevchenko

"Secrets of the twentieth century" № 40 2012