What was the Inuit climate like a thousand years ago?

During the medieval period (roughly CE 900 to CE 1350), the climate of the North Atlantic varied substantially. For example, there was a warm period called the Medieval Warm Period (MWP) that lasted from the 10th to the 13th century and there were also colder periods such as the Little Ice Age (LIA) that lasted from the 14th to the 19th century.

During the MWP, average global temperatures were likely at least as high as they are today, and perhaps as much as 1 degree Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer. The North Atlantic region was likely 1 to 2 degrees Celsius (1.8 to 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer than it is today. The Arctic region was especially affected, with the summer sea-ice edge retreating northwards, opening up new seaways for exploration. This warming would have had significant effects on the Inuit, whose livelihoods depended on the availability of sea ice for hunting and fishing.

The LIA, which began in the late 14th century, saw a return to colder conditions. Average global temperatures decreased by about 0.5 degrees Celsius (0.9 degrees Fahrenheit), and the North Atlantic region was likely 1 to 2 degrees Celsius (1.8 to 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) colder than it is today. In the Arctic, the sea ice edge advanced southwards, making it more difficult for the Inuit to hunt and fish. The colder climate may also have contributed to the demise of the Norse Greenlanders, who abandoned their colony in the late 15th century.