DK Eyewitness Books - Viking

24

Other ships

TȩȦȷȪȬȪȯȨȴȣȶȪȭȵȴȩȪȱȴ and boats of

many shapes and sizes, suited to different

waters and uses. They were all variations

on the same design, with overlapping

strakes (planks), a keel, and matching

prow and stern. Only the longest, fastest

vessels were taken raiding. Cargo ships

were slower and wider, with lots of room

for storing goods. Other boats were

specially made for sailing in narrow inlets

and rivers, following the coast, or for

crossing oceans. There were fishing boats,

ferries for carrying passengers across

rivers and fjords, and small boats for

traveling on lakes. Small rowing boats

were also carried on board larger boats.

LEIF SIGHTS NORTH AMERICA

Explorers sailed wide-bodied, sturdy ships. These were

much heavier than warships and had more space for

passengers and their belongings and supplies. In this

dramatic interpretation of Leif the Lucky’s voyage to

North America (p. 21), Leif is shown pointing in wonder

at the new continent. His other hand holds the tiller.

The raised deck at the stern (back) can be clearly seen.

Leif was Erik the Red’s son (p. 20), and is also

known as Leif Eriksson.

CARGO SHIP

This is the prow of one

of the five ships from

Roskilde Fjord, Denmark

(pp. 10–11). It is a merchant

ship, 45 ft 3 in (13.8 m) long

and 10 ft 10 in (3.3 m) wide,

and probably made locally.

It could carry five tons of cargo.

This was stowed in the middle

of the ship and covered with

animal hides to protect it from

the rain. The crew could still steer

and work the sail from decks at the

prow and stern. The ship may have

belonged to a merchant who sailed

along the coast to Norway

to pick up iron and soapstone and

across the Baltic Sea in search of

luxuries, such as amber.

ROWING BOAT

Rowing boats were made just like miniature

ships. This is a replica of one of the three small

rowing boats buried with the Gokstad ship (pp. 8–9).

It had two pairs of slender oars and a stubby steering oar.

Hole for rope

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Rock carvings in Sweden
and Norway show boats
from as early as 1800 Żżž.
Sails were developed in
Scandinavia just before
the Viking Age, around
700 żž. Before then, all
ships were rowed.

Steering oar

Two sets

of oars

Forward oarport (hole for oar)

Gunwale (top strake)

A copy of t he

prow (below) in place

Overlapping strakes

held toget her wit h iron

nails or clench-bolts

CARVED PROW
The cargo ship above is put together with great
skill. The shipbuilder carved the entire prow
from a single piece of oak. The keel was made
first. Then the prow and stern were nailed to
the keel. Finally, the strakes (planks)
and deck boards
were installed.

The lines of t he

strakes are continued

in elegant carvings on

t he prow

DROPPING ANCHOR

Every ship needs an anchor.

The anchor of the Oseberg ship

(pp. 54–57) was solid iron with

an oak frame. It weighed 22 lb

(10 kg). This stone anchor

comes from Iceland.