The Skuldelev ships – The 5 original Viking ships recovered from the waterway of Peberrenden at Skuldelev in 1962
The Skuldelev ships are original Viking ships recovered from the waterway of Peberrenden at Skuldelev, c. 20 km north of Roskilde in Denmark. In 1962, the remains of the submerged ships were excavated in the course of four months. The recovered pieces constitute five types of Viking ship and have all been dated to the 11th century. They were allegedly sunk to prevent attacks from the sea.
Skuldelev 1
Skuldelev 1 was a sturdy seagoing cargo-vessel, possibly of the knarr type. It is 16 m long and 4.8 m wide and would have had a draught of 1 m with a crew of 6 to 8. The ship was constructed in Sognefjorden in western Norway around 1030 A. D. from thick planks of pine, but has been repeatedly repaired with oak and linden wood during its lifetime in the Oslo Fjord and in Eastern Denmark. With a sail of approximately 90 square meters and only 2-4 oars, Skuldelev 1 could have navigated the Baltic Sea, the North Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean at a top speed of 13 knots (24 km/h). 60 % of the original ship has been preserved. Skuldelev 1 has been replicated as the viking ship Ottar by the Roskilde Viking Ship Museum.
Hutts Strange World 