Skip to main content Accessibility help

We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.

Close cookie message
×
  1. Home
  2. Search

Refine search

Refine search

Access:
Content type:
Publication date:
Apply   From and To filters
Subject: Show more
Journals Show more
Publishers: Show more
Societies Show more
Series: Show more
Collections: Show more

Actions for selected content:

Select all | Deselect all
  • View selected items
  • Export citations
  • Download PDF (zip)
  • Save to Kindle
  • Save to Dropbox
  • Save to Google Drive

Save Search

You can save your searches here and later view and run them again in "My saved searches".

Please provide a title, maximum of 40 characters.
Cancel
×

1 results

  • 24 - Maritime technologies

  • from Part IV - Comparisons: Cross-Cultural Analysis
  • Edited by Anne Curry, University of Southampton
  • David A. Graff, Kansas State University
  • Book:
    The Cambridge History of War
    Published online:
    25 September 2020
    Print publication:
    01 October 2020, pp 662-682

  • Summary

    In the Northern Seas we may take as our starting point ships of the type probably used by the Anglo-Saxons in their invasions of the British Isles from the early fifth century.1 The double-ended, long oak ship excavated at Nydam Moss on the island of Als in the Baltic Sea, southern Denmark, is dated to c.310–20 ce. It was originally around 25 m long, 4.3 m in the beam amidships, around 1.35 m deep in the hull amidships, rising to around 2.25 m at the bow and stern. It was an open rowing boat, clinker built, hull first, with only a bottom plank and five strakes per side. The strakes, which were single planks carved from whole trees, were fastened to each other with iron nails clenched through square iron washers. Cleats were left on the inside of the carved strakes roughly every 1.25 m and ribs cut from naturally curved branches were lashed to them later. Fifteen thole pins for oars were lashed to the top strakes or gunwales on either side. A large quarter rudder was found at one end. There is no evidence that the ship carried a mast or sail, and it appears to have been purely a rowing boat.