GOTHENBURG, SWEDEN—According to a statement released by the University of Gothenburg, a 30-foot-long section of a ship has been discovered off Bohuslän, a province located on the western coast of Sweden. Maritime archaeologist Staffan von Arbin said tree ring analysis of wood samples taken from the wreck revealed it was made of oaks that grew in northwestern Germany and were harvested between 1233 and 1240. A survey of the wreck indicates it was a type of vessel known as a cog, with flush-laid bottom planking and overlapping side planks. The seams between the planks were sealed with moss. Cogs were generally about 65 feet long, and traveled along trade routes throughout northern Europe. Evidence of an intense fire on this ship’s remains suggest there may have been an accident, a battle, or a pirate attack. To read about a fifteenth-century wreck found off the coast of Sweden, go to "Around the World: Sweden."
