Does Essos Connect to Westeros? the Wild Global Geography Theory Explained
By Sophia Al-Mansoor
Skeptics often point out that the continents are divided by deep bodies of water like the Narrow Sea and the Shivering Sea. Yet Planetos possesses a clear history of violent cataclysms severing formerly united landmasses. The Arm of Dorne once provided an unbroken terrestrial highway linking southeastern Westeros to the western coast of Essos. During the war between the First Men and the Children of the Forest, greenseers reportedly invoked the Hammer of the Waters to shatter the bridge, leaving behind the jagged islands known as the Stepstones.
A similar aquatic inundation occurred at the Neck, turning vast plains into impassable bogs. If southern Westeros and Essos were physically connected just 10,000 to 12,000 years ago, there is clear geological precedent for a northern link. During cyclical multi-year winters, falling sea levels and expanding polar ice sheets could easily forge continuous shelf ice across the northern Shivering Sea, connecting the Lands of Always Winter directly to the desolate northeastern boundaries of Essos.
Sophia analyzes international trade, startup ecosystems, retail transformation, and supply chain logistics for modern digital publications.
