Salme Yields Evidence of Oldest Sailing Ship in Baltic Sea (4)

Published: 10.08.2011 10:04

Photo: ERR

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The ancient ship burial site in Salme on the island of Saaremaa still has some surprises in store.

The archeological excavations in Salme, soon to be completed, have yielded evidence that the ship that had been buried with 35 warriors and nobles had a keel, which in turn leads to the conclusion that it used sails. This represents the earliest known use of sails on a vessel in the Baltic Sea region, reported ETV.

"One piece of new information that we have been anticipating since winter was still to be found - namely, confirmation of whether it was a sailing ship or not. Now we have evidence that it used sails," said archeologist Jüri Peets of Tallinn University.

Peets called this discovery the cherry on top of the cake that was the nearly two-year-long archeological dig. "It is thought that sails were first introduced in the North Sea and Baltic Sea region at about 700 A.D., which is the conventional date. Our ship dates from the year 750. The ship from the year 700 was from the North Sea region, near Norway. However, here in the Baltic Sea region, this is without a doubt the oldest sailing ship that has been found," said Peets.

In addition to the discovery of the keel, the irregular rows of strong rivets found on the bottom of the vessel also prove that the ship used sails.

Maritime archaeologist Vello Mäss confirmed that the Salme ship was without a doubt a warship that used sails. Although sails had been long in use in the Mediterranean Sea region, it was the Norwegians who first started using them in the North Sea region. Mäss also suggested that perhaps two separate war parties on two different ships had met in Salme centuries ago. Such hypotheses concerning the Salme ship burial site are sure to keep the scientists busy for years to come.

 

Sigrid Maasen

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Comments (4)

  • Dwight E. Howell

    12.08.2011 02:30

    Yah know a lot about this does not add up. I don't question that the ship had sails but rivets and a keel don't prove it nor would their absence disprove the use of sails. If all these people got buried at the same time the odds are that somebody got volunteered against their wishes. To much was not made clear.

  • J. A. Hunsinger

    12.08.2011 23:54

    No known Viking ship had a keel--they employed a steerboard on the right aft side in lieu of a keel--and all their ships had sails after about the 6th century. Somebody quoted in this article does not know what they are talking about.

  • wm

    13.08.2011 11:05

    @J.A. Hunsinger: You seem to be confusing keels and rudders, there...

  • J. A. Hunsinger

    19.08.2011 18:37

    To William: no I am not confusing keels and rudders. The steerboard of the Norse ship was both a rudder and a daggerboard (keel) to prevent the ship's slidding downwind when sailed close to the eye of the wind. No Viking ship has ever been found with a keel; the reason being that a keeled sailing ship could not be run up on a beach, a common practice for them, nor could it be transported overland, another common practice. As far as is known, all Viking ocean-going vessels had a large steerboard affixed on the outside of the hull, on the starboard (a term no doubt derived from steerboard) aft quarter and extending well below the longitudinal axis of the hull. This steerboard performed the same function as the contemporary keel and could be secured up out of the water, allowing the crew to beach the ship.