Three of the most infamous ship burials ever discovered, two in Norway, the Oseberg in near Tønsberg in Vestfold and Gokstad in Sandar, Sandefjord, Vestfold alongside Sutton Hoo in Woodbridge, Suffolk England. All three were discovered in significantly large burial mounds, which after multiple avenues of research, the mounds are now synonymous with this period of history. These tumulus of various types and categories are dotted all over the world, but the first image you picture when someone mentions burial mounds is Vikings and Anglo-Saxons. This method of burial is featured in multiple belief systems but predominately polytheistic paganism, where the person buried is placed in the grave with items, animals and weapons (and sometimes other people!) that they would need in the afterlife. These burials are usually reserved for people of rank, predominately royalty, as the grave goods that have been recovered are made from precious metals with exquisite craftsmanship. Especially in the case of Sutton Hoo, this has shattered perceptions that the Early Medieval period was a dark, unenlightened world. The ship is highly symbolic in Germanic but more specific Nordic culture as it represents "life, livelihood, one's journey through life, and the afterlife, and was used by the Norse for transport, in trade, in warfare, and as a burial vessel for centuries." (Mark, 2019).
The way these ships were build were revolutionary compared to other contemporary ships in the medieval world, their design is now infamous with speed and stability;
"Viking ships varied from other contemporary ships, being generally more seaworthy and lighter. This was achieved through use of clinker (lapstrake) construction. The planks from which Viking vessels were constructed were rived (split) from large, old-growth trees—especially oaks. A ship's hull could be as thin as one inch (2.5 cm), as a split plank is stronger than a sawed plank found in later craft." (Wayback Machine, 2012)
With these more seaworthy ships, the Vikings made more and more sea voyages and as a result had to develop more advanced navigational methods. Whilst they used traditional sea navigation methods such as tides, sailing times, and landmarks in order to route courses. However, some academics have proposed that the Vikings also developed more advanced aids to navigation, such as the use of a sun compass. This navigation method was shown in the show, before Ragnar attempts to sail west he shows Rollo how he proposes to use a wooden compass and a sun stone, but that is for another time. Sailing and navigational aspects aside, it is easy to see how important these finely crafted pieces of wood became to the Nordic peoples. Modes of transport are not uncommon in this era of the world as the ancient Celtic peoples were often buried with chariots or wagons to carry their belongings into the Otherworld.
Gokstad
The Gokstad ship is a 9th century, a clinker-built ship constructed largely of oak and was found in a burial mound at Gokstad in Sandar, Sandefjord, Vestfold, Norway. Alongside the Oseburg and Tune ships it is currently displayed at the Viking Ship Museum in Oslo. The site where the boat was found, is situated on arable land, which had long been named Gokstadhaugen or Kongshaugen (from the Old Norse words konungr meaning king and haugr meaning mound). These names have been discounted as popular folklore but there are other sites in Norway that bare a similar name. The ship itself was intended for warfare, trade, transportation of people and cargo. The ship is 23.80 metres (78.1 ft) long and 5.10 m (16.7 ft) wide, it is the largest in the Viking Ship Museum. Contraty to popular belief about Viking ships, not all of them had dragon head pieces on it's ends; "When the ship was excavated, 32 shields were fixed to each side of the boat, painted alternately in yellow and black. White woollen material with red cloth strips sewn on were found in the forepart of the boat, perhaps remnants of the sail. The ends of the bow and stern posts had rotted away so it is not clear how they were finished, but there is nothing to indicate that they were ever fitted with dragon heads. Even without dragon heads, the Gokstad ship must have been an impressive sight when appearing on the ocean horizon with full sails set." (UiO, 2021). Made in the clinker built Viking fashion, there are 16 tapered planks per side. The ship was built to carry 32 oarsmen, and the oar holes could be hatched down when the ship was under sail, this ship was built at a time of heightened Norwegian expansion in Dublin, Ireland and York, England under the reign of King Harald Finehair.
Human remains were found at the site but whose remains they are is unknown. However, was that of a man aged approximately forty to fifty years old, of powerful build and between 181 and 183 cm tall and was found inside a timber-built burial chamber. The grave was furnished with multiple sacrificial animals and various grave goods, unfortunately nothing gold, silver or valuable as they must have been plundered in ancient times.
Oseberg
Much like the Gokstad ship, the Oseberg ship is an incredibly well preserved Viking ship burial discovered in a large burial mound at the Oseberg farm near Tønsberg in Vestfold county, Norway. Notably the fancier of the two ships due to its ornate and intricate carvings which can be seen on the ship's bow and stern, which is known as the "gripping beast" style also known as the Oseberg style of Viking art. Unsurprisingly the ship clinker built almost entirely of oak. It is 21.58 metres (70.8 ft) long and 5.10 metres (16.7 ft) broad, with a mast of approximately 9–10 metres (30–33 ft). The ship is possibly one of the most interesting ship burials that we have because of its occupants. "The skeletons of two women were found in the grave with the ship. One, probably aged around 80, suffered badly from arthritis and other maladies. The second was initially believed to be aged 25–30, but analysis of tooth-root translucency suggests she was older (aged 50–55)" (Holck, 2004). Unfortunately it's not clear which one was the superior burial but there was a suggestion that the younger woman was a human sacrifice as she was found to have a broken collarbone, however it was shown to have been healing for several weeks prior to the burial. The sheer opulence of the burial rites shows that this was a very high status burial, and both bodies were dressed in fine clothing. Dendrochronological analysis of the timbers places the grave dates the burial to the autumn of 834AD.
"Although the high-ranking woman's identity is unknown, it has been suggested that she is Queen Åsa of the Yngling clan, mother of Halfdan the Black and grandmother of Harald Fairhair. Recent tests of the women's remains suggest that they lived in Agder in Norway, as had Queen Åsa" (Kruger, 2007), however this has been disputed, and many believe that she was in fact a shaman, as a vast quantity of animal remains were also found in the burial. However, the more exciting aspect of the younger woman's origin, although disputed there is a possibility that the younger woman came to Scandinavia from what is now known as Iran, which would prove the inclusivity of Viking society. However studies failed to confirmed this and some pointed to contamination through handling. As for the grave goods, many of the precious metals and valuables had been looted in antiquity but many every day items remained, similar to those at Gokstad. These included; four elaborately decorated sleighs, a richly carved four-wheel wooden cart, bed-posts, and wooden chests. Alongside these richer every day items, the so-called Buddha-bøtte ("Buddha bucket" pictured left), a brass and cloisonné enamel ornament of a bucket (pail) handle in the shape of a figure sitting with crossed legs. The burial is one of the few reference sites in the history of Viking textiles as various pieces were also found alongside some more mundane items.
Sutton Hoo
Recently re-entering the consciousness of the British public after the hit Netflix film The Dig, Sutton Hoo is one of the richest Anglo-Saxon archaeological sites in England, alongside the Staffordshire Hoard, Lenborough Hoard and the Vale Of York Hoard. However, this is the only one where a gold hoard has been found inside a ship burial. Anglo-Saxon ship burials are incredibly rare (hence why this one is the most famous one alongside the lesser known ship burial at Snape Cemetery), but given the Kingdom of East Anglia's proximity to Europe, it was an entry point for a lot of migrational activity. This could mean that there was some Germanic/Nordic influences over the East Anglicans as various people came through their kingdom to access the rest of the country, the most famous being Hengist and Horsa, who are the legendary brothers said to have led the Angles, Saxons and Jutes in their invasion of Britain in the 5th century. The tradition states that Hengist was the first Jutish king of Kent. The striking thing about the Sutton Hoo site is that the finds are similar to finds at the sites at Vendel and Valsgärde in Uppsala, Sweden. The graves are princely and almost identical to Sutton Hoo and many of the helmets uncovered at these Swedish sites echoed similar designs of the Sutton Hoo helmet. All that aside, the burial is probably one of the most significant found outside of Scandinavia.
This particular burial was found in the first mound at the site and remains one of the most magnificent English archeological finds to date. Despite a lot of the original timber survived the form of the ship was perfectly preserved, with many of the construction nails surviving in the stained soil. These iron rivets were nearly all in their original places. The survey of the ship measured it 27 metres (89 ft) long, which was pointed at either end with tall rising stem and stern posts and widening to 4.4 metres (14 ft). From the keel board, the hull was constructed clinker-fashion, which is synonymous with the aforementioned Viking ships, with nine planks on either side, fastened with rivets and twenty-six wooden frames strengthened the form. While a body wasn't found in the burial a considerable hoard of significant grave goods were found, over time the roof collapsed violently under the weight of the mound, and these contents were compressed into a seam of earth. The most well known find is of course the helmet, which deserved a whole post to itself. The regal, highly decorated and expertly constructed helmet was packed with Germanic symbology, from what we can see from the replica created for the British Museum by the Royal Armouries. The finds of the site are owned by the British Museum and it wasn't until recently that Basil Brown, the man who discovered the burial, was credited for his hard work in discovering this symbolic English archeological site.
The burial is associated with King Rædwald of East Anglia (now the English counties of Norfolk and Suffolk) and was a member of the Wuffingas dynasty (the last of the Wuffingas kings was Ælfwald, who died in 749AD). The king's most notable deed was when he played a significant role in the life of King Edwin of Northumbria, whilst the exiled king was on the run from Æthelfrith the wife of his brother Acha (father of
Oswald). Alongside The Battle of the River Idle "In 616 or 617, Rædwald assembled an army and marched north, accompanied by his son Rægenhere, to confront Æthelfrith. They met on the western boundary of the kingdom of Lindsey, on the east bank of the River Idle. The battle was fierce and was long commemorated in the saying, 'The river Idle was foul with the blood of Englishmen'." (Hunt, 2004) As a result of this battle Edwin would become king of Northumbria. Rædwald is believed to have died around 624. While this is a brief summary of the man, his life is quite interesting, especially the development of Gipeswic (Ipswitch).
Ladby
Ladby is the Danish equivalent to Gokstad, Oseberg and Tune (mentioned below) in terms of magnitude. The ship was discovered near Kerteminde in northeastern Fyn, Denmark, and the grave was extensively damaged as only a small amount of human remains were found. Excavations revealed an abundance of grave goods consisting of both objects and animals and has been dated to the 10th century. Research has concluded that this ship burial is unique as it is a translation, a conversion from a pagan to a Christian grave. The other interpretation for the grave's extensive damage is that the struggle for dominance by King Haraldr Blátönn (Harald Bluetooth) and his heir, Sveinn Tjúguskegg, may have led to the grave's desecration. The ship had a length of approximately 21.5m and was just shy of 3m wide, it would have been equipped with 15-16 pairs of oars. One of the most intriguing finds with the ship was a 1.26m high anchor of Norwegian iron, which was equipped with an 11m chain. There was a considerable amount of the usual grave goods discovered, including weapons, riding gear, utensils, textiles, tools, and even board games. Another notable grave find is the small spirals found on the ship's stern (pictured below), it is believed they had an ornamental function. As this excavation is vastly more complex than the others that have been mentioned it easy deserves a post of it's own and cannot be done justice in this post.
The Lesser Known Ship Burials
Below are three more ship sites that aren't always thrust into the public eye . The first two were discovered in Norway; the Tune ship is from Rolvsøy in the parish of Tune in Viken, Norway and in Gjellestad in Halden municipality in Norway. Whilst the biggest discovery of Viking ships is the five ships all found in Roskilde in Denmark, although they are not ship burials but were thought to be deliberately sunk to avoid attack. Although not as famous as the aforementioned discoveries, they still give us vital evidence of the superiority of Viking ship building and how the boat was a significant and potent symbol in Viking life.
Tune & Gjellestad
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| Tune Ship |
There are two other notable ship burials discovered in Norway, the one pictured above is the Tune ship, which was found at the Haugen farm on the island of Rolvsøy in the parish of Tune in Viken, Norway, and the most recent ship burial discovery the Gjellestad ship found at the farm of Gjellestad in Halden municipality in Norway in 2018. There isn't an extensive amount of information on these two lesser known burials but they are still interesting from a construction point of view. Starting with the Tune ship, it is dated to around 900AD and is fragmentary. However, it does fit the clinker built formula of the previous ships and may have been up to 18.7 metres (61 ft) long. It is 4.2 metres (14 ft) wide and would have had 11 or 12 pairs of oars. The Gjellestad ship however is much older, dated around 733AD, it is estimated to be around 20m in length and it is said to be of a similar size to the Gokstad ship. There was extensive fungus damage to the ship so an. immediate dig was launched in June 2020 to save the ship. The identity of the boat's occupant is currently unknown but historians have speculated that they may have been of royal status.
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| Gjellestad Ship Excavation |
Other Notable Ship Burials Locations
Salme, Estonia - "Two clinker-built ships of Scandinavian origin discovered in 2008 and 2010 near the village of Salme on the island of Saaremaa, Estonia. Both ships were used for ship burials here around AD 700–750 in the Nordic Iron Age and contained the remains of more than 40 warriors killed in battle, as well as numerous weapons and other artefacts" (Mägi, 2018)
Port an Eilean Mhòir, Ardnamurchan, Scotland - "Dated to the 10th century, the burial consists of a Viking boat about 5 metres (16 ft) long by 1.5 metres (4.9 ft) wide in which a man was laid to rest with his shield, sword and spear as well as other grave goods." (Kennedy, 2011)
Scar, Sanday, Orkney Islands, Scotland - The burial, dates between 875 and 950 AD, and contained the remains of a man, an elderly woman, and a child, along with a vast array of grave goods. The site had to be excavated quickly because of the threat of coastal erosion owing to bad weather conditions. The site yielded many important finds with the most significant being the "Scar Dragon Plaque" which was briefly loaned to the Jorvik Viking Centre in York, England in 2010. "The wood of the 6.5-metre (21 ft) long and 1.5-metre (4.9 ft) wide boat had rotted away, leaving more than 300 iron rivets. It was placed in a boat-shaped stone-lined enclosure which was packed with further stones. There were also stones forming a walled enclosure inside the boat itself, within which were found the remains of three bodies." (CANMORE)
Snape, Aldeburgh, Suffolk, England - Another notable Anglo-Saxon ship burial located only 17km North-East of the infamous aforementioned Sutton Hoo site. The ship burial is part of a bigger Anglo-Saxon cemetery site and the ship burial is the most well known burial at the site. "The ship was at least 14 metres long and contained a beam 3 metres in width. Clinker built with riveted construction, the rivets were spaced at intervals of approximately 140 millimetres and according to the watercolour painting, there were nine strakes a side."(Filmer-Sankey, 1992). This burial was distinctly Saxon and was probably a high status burial.
Biblography
Adams, M., (August 2013), The King in the North: The Life and Times of Oswald of Northumbria, Head Zues, ISBN: 9781781854204
J.J., Mark., (10th January 2019), Norse-Viking Symbols & Meanings, Ancient History Encyclopaedia, https://www.ancient.eu/article/1309/norse-viking-symbols--meanings/
Løse, J., O., , (17th July 2012), How to build a Viking ship - Principles of Norse boat building - Lapstrake Hull Schematic, Wayback Machine, https://web.archive.org/web/20120717043217/http://home.online.no/~joeolavl/viking/norse-shipbuilding.htm
Hunt, (2004), "Redwald", Dictionary of National Biography, p. 386
Mägi, M., (2018), In Austrvegr: The Role of the Eastern Baltic in Viking Age Communication across the Baltic Sea, The Northern World, Brill, p. 233. ISBN 978-90-04-36381-6.
Kennedy, M., (19 October 2011), "Viking chieftain's burial ship excavated in Scotland after 1,000 years", The Guardian, https://www.theguardian.com/science/2011/oct/19/viking-burial-ship-found-scotland
CANMORE National Record Of The Historic Environment, Sanday; Quoy Banks, https://canmore.org.uk/site/3494/sanday-quoy-banks
Filmer-Sankey, W., (1992), 'Snape Anglo-Saxon cemetery - the current state of knowledge' in M.Carver, The Age of Sutton Hoo, 39-51
UiO Museum of Cultural History, (11th February 2021), The Gokstad Ship, https://www.khm.uio.no/english/visit-us/viking-ship-museum/exhibitions/gokstad/the-gokstad-ship/index.html
Holck, P., (August 2006), "The Oseberg Ship Burial, Norway: New Thoughts On the Skeletons From the Grave Mound", European Journal of Archaeology. 9 (2–3): 185–210 [192]. doi:10.1177/1461957107086123
Kruger, S. (June 9, 2007), "Dronning Åsa av Oseberg – Forskerne har nå avslørt droning Åsa som Oseberghaugens herskerinne"
Bill, J., Fellows-Jensen, G., (2021), The Ladby Ship, Viking Ship Museum Roskilde, https://www.vikingeskibsmuseet.dk/en/professions/education/viking-knowledge/the-longships/findings-of-longships-from-the-viking-age/ladby/
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