Archaeologists Investigate Oldest Carvel-Built Ship in Nordic Region

LANDFJÄRDEN, SWEDEN—According to a statement released by the Vrak Museum of Wrecks, maritime archaeologists have identified a shipwreck that may be the oldest carvel-built vessel in the Nordic region. The wreck is one of five ships that were located off of Landfjärden, south of Stockholm. The investigators have labeled the oldest of these ships Wreck 5, which they believe was built in the 1480s and possibly even as early as the 1460s. It is around 115 feet wide and 30 feet wide and was made from timber felled in either Möre, in the Kalmar region, or in eastern Blekinge. What makes this ship particularly noteworthy is its carvel construction technique, where planks are laid edge-to-edge on a frame to create a smooth hull, as opposed to the clinker-built method in which planks overlap. The carvel technique allowed for the building of larger and stronger ships, and experts believe it emerged following the introduction of cannons on ships in the fifteenth century. “This ship represents a fascinating link between medieval and modern shipbuilding,” said Håkan Altrock, museum curator and project manager overseeing the investigation. “It has the potential to provide us with valuable new insights into an important period in Sweden’s maritime history.” To read about the wreck of a sixteenth-century Swedish warship, go to "Mars Explored."