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Archaeologists have unearthed the largest Viking ‘supership’ ever built, dating to the 1400s, a discovery that prompts a rethinking of the scale of medieval trade Nordic.
The ship was named “Svaelget 2”, named after the waterway near Copenhagen, Denmark, where the ship was found. It is 28m long, 9m wide and 6m high, which is about the length of two people. school bus Almost as wide as one.
Built around 1410 AD, cargo ship Researchers say it can carry about 300 tons, making it the largest of its kind ever discovered.
“This discovery is a milestone in maritime archaeology. It is the largest gear we know of and it provides us with a unique opportunity to understand the construction and life on the largest merchant ship of the Middle Ages,” said excavation leader Otto Odum, a maritime archaeologist at the Viking Ship Museum.
The ship was built to efficiently transport large quantities of “everyday cargo” for trade.
“Shipbuilders move as large as possible to transport bulky cargo – salt, timber, bricks or basic food items,” Mr Odum said.
“The gear revolutionized trade in Northern Europe. It made it possible to transport goods on an unprecedented scale.”
Archaeologists have found evidence that the ship was built with wood from two European regions – modern-day Poland, Pomerania and the Netherlands.
Scientists say growth ring patterns in the wood indicate the planks were made from Pomeranian oak, while the ship’s frame came from the Netherlands.
“It tells us that the timber was exported from Pomerania to the Netherlands and that the ship was built in the Netherlands, which had the expertise to build these very large gears,” Mr Oldham said.
The wreck was found remarkably well preserved in a water depth of about 13m, where it was protected from the forces that would normally destroy ships close to the coast.
“It’s extraordinary to have so many rigging components,” Mr. Oldham said. “We’ve never seen this before, and it gives us a real opportunity to tell a whole new story about how gears are equipped for sailing.”
According to archaeologists, one of the striking features of the find is the intact “high castle” – a large wooden elevated platform on a medieval merchant ship that provided an elevated fighting position and shelter for the crew.
“We have lots of drawings of castles but they have never been found because usually only the bottoms of ships survive. This time we have archaeological evidence,” Mr Oldham explained.
Archaeologists hope to study the massive timber remains to understand how the tall castle was built and geared.
“We can now use 20 times as much material. It’s not comfortable in the modern sense, but it’s a big improvement compared to Viking Age ships, which only had open decks in all weathers,” Mr Oldham said.
Researchers also found rare traces of daily life in the wreck, including painted wooden plates, shoes, combs and rosary beads, as well as bronze cooking utensils and ceramic bowls.
“The sailor brought his comb to keep his hair neat and rosary beads to pray. We have the remains of the pot in which he cooked food and the bowl from which he ate,” Mr Oldham said.
“These personal belongings show us that the crew took everyday items with them. They transferred life on land to life at sea.”
Although no trace of the ship was found to be carrying any cargo, researchers said they were confident it was a merchant ship.
“There is no evidence that there was a war or conflict on this ship. None at all,” Mr Oldham said.
The discovery also provides insights into the nature of medieval society.
“It required a society that could finance, build and equip these huge ships to meet the medieval needs for import and export over long distances,” Mr Oldham said.
“Svælget 2 provides us with a practical piece of the puzzle to understand how technology and society evolved together in an era when shipping was the driving force behind international trade.”