'Viking ship' discovered in Sweden's largest lake

Published: 8 May 09 18:27 CET
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/19342/20090508/

Dictionary tool Double click on a word to get a translation

Marine archaeologists in Sweden have discovered what they believe to be the wreck of a Viking ship at the bottom the country's largest lake.

A team of 50 divers from the Swedish coastguard happened upon the 20-metre long wreck by chance on Wednesday afternoon.

"Never before has a Viking shipwreck been found in Swedish waters," marine archaeologist Roland Peterson from the Vänern Museum told The Local.

A few Viking boats have previously been discovered in Sweden, but earlier finds were made on dry land, Peterson explained.

One of the ship's ribs was discovered protruding from the bottom of the lake, while the rest of the boat was filled with a one metre-thick layer of sediment.

A wood sample from the ship, as well as iron samples from a spear and a sword found with the vessel, are to undergo expert analysis over the coming weeks.

"We can't be sure of anything until we get the dating results back, which could take around a month. But the sword did seem semi-familiar," said Peterson, referring to the weapon's apparent similarity to earlier Viking era finds.

The ship's clinker-built structure also strengthened the hypothesis that the vessel found in the Lurö archipelago, in the middle of Lake Vänern, dates from the Viking era. Vänern is Europe's third largest lake, with an area measuring 5,648 square kilometres.

The Swedish coastguard and the Vänern Museum are currently involved in a joint project to discover and examine shipwrecks lodged at the bottom the vast lake.

Six other wrecks have also been discovered within a 100 metre radius, three of which were found lying almost on top of each other.

"But it's too early to say whether these date from the same era," said Peterson.

The Viking Age marked the end of the Scandinavian Iron Age and spanned the period from the eighth to the eleventh century.

Paul O'Mahony (paul.omahony@thelocal.se/08 656 6513)

What do you think? Leave your comment below.

Fark It! Digg This Facebook  Share everywhere
Send to a friend Printable version Twitter This

Your comments about this article:

The comments below have not been moderated in advance and are not produced by The Local unless clearly stated. Readers are responsible for the content of their own comments. Comments that breach our terms and conditions will be removed.

11:38 May 9, 2009 by Benzed
I love this stuff. The lack of authentic viking heritage in Sweden has been a bane of my existence here. Amon Amarth alone cannot keep Sweden true.
18:44 May 9, 2009 by yaguei
http://74.125.95.132/search?q=cache:a3wFrzVavmUJ:www.geocities.com/jvertesi/christscan.html+Christianiazation+of+scandinavia&cd=2&hl=en&ct=clnk

Although the Christianization of America had been done by Scadinacians in the tenth century the holocaust that Native America endured in the XVI century and still does had been not much different given the R.C.Church proceeds to "convert" people as we can read in the link above.
19:11 May 9, 2009 by Greg in Canada
Cool. I'm a wreck diver myself, having done hundreds of wreck dives in the Great Lakes, but never anything this old. I'd imagine the wreck itself is nothing but a bunch of boards, but there could be some interesting historical artifacts in the area. I would imagine that this site is now off limits to the general dive population?
00:20 May 10, 2009 by Nemesis
Hello Greg,

The wreck should be off limits to all.

ONLY archeologists should have access to it to study it properly at present.

To much or our European history and culture has been destroyed. This should be preserved.
05:48 May 10, 2009 by Greg in Canada
It's the same thing over here. A new undiscovered wreck is supposed to be reported to the authorities and it then becomes a "national museum property".

My wife and I are advanced divers and have taken special courses on under water archeology. There has been a new War of 1812 Lake Ontario wreck discovered near Kingston recently. We might ask if they need dive volunteers to help with the excavation.
07:32 May 10, 2009 by Joemath
The next question involves the artifacts proximate to the ship.
08:24 May 10, 2009 by Jhomu
Hej all,

1. COULD THIS SHIP HAVE BEEN EVOLVING UNDER THE LAKE? To say yes would be utter foolishness, because the wood used came from the forest, the Iron used was mined, melted and made into the desired shape. This confirms lack of evidence for Evolution or the theory of the Big Bung.

2. To claim that there is a designer would make sense because someone must have cut wood from an Oak-tree, shaped it and made the ship. Someone also mined Iron-ore, melted it and made the metal pieces that made-up the ship.

I am happy that science is proving Evolution to be a MYOPIC BELIEF

Jhonnah
08:45 May 10, 2009 by Muttlestar Galactica
What?
10:59 May 10, 2009 by Taz Mania
Interesting Find.

What on earth are you writing about Jhomu? Evolution? Va?
11:06 May 10, 2009 by Jamtjim
Jhonnah what are you going on about? If you want a debate regarding the relative merrits of Evoluationary Theorey vs Intelligent Design, why dont you start a new thread about it?

I think its great this ship has been found and it should be protected so that we can learn all we can from it. Anyone stealing or damaging the wreck should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law...
10:49 May 11, 2009 by Grass
"Never before has a Viking shipwreck been found in Swedish waters," marine archaeologist Roland Peterson from the Vänern Museum told The Local.

What the hell was the Vasa then? or is the Vasa deemed as being "after" the Viking age?
12:33 May 11, 2009 by Jamtjim
Yes Grass. The vasa was about 600 years after the viking age...
12:36 May 11, 2009 by Mzungu
^

....also as with this one and many more....

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7096405.stm
ADD YOUR COMMENT   (YOU MUST LOG IN OR REGISTER TO MAKE A COMMENT)
Today's headlines
Photo: Scanpix

Fifteen boys abused by sports coach

At least fifteen boys are now believed to have been sexually abused by a sports coach in the Stockholm area as the case against a 22-year-old suspect widens. READ »

Swedish prisoners seek higher learning

An increasing number of prisoners at Swedish correctional facilities are taking the chance to study, with a near doubling in completed courses from 2007 to 2009. READ (3 COMMENTS) »

Swedish lab develops genital herpes vaccine

Researchers in Gothenburg have developed a promising new vaccine against genital herpes, with successful tests on mice offering hope of an STD-free future for millions. READ (16 COMMENTS) »

SSU leader Jytte Guteland

Opposition youth league registers government 'Alliance' brand

SSU, the opposition Social Democrat party youth league, has registered the patent for the Swedish word Alliansen (The Alliance) - the collective name used by the government for its four-party coalition. READ (1 COMMENT) »

Axelsson takes aim for biathlon challenge

Håkan Axelsson, the only athlete at the Vancouver Paralympics with both a visual impairment and an amputation, is gunning for gold on Wednesday in the 12.5 km biathlon. READ »

'We did not commit genocide, we defended the country', Istanbul, March 12

Turks leave Social Democrats in protest

The association of Turkish Social Democrats in Gothenburg has elected to discontinue its operations after last week's parliamentary vote to recognize as genocide the 1915 massacre of Armenians by Ottoman Turks. READ (12 COMMENTS) »

Turkey PM hails 'friend' Reinfeldt

Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt's decision to distance himself from a Swedish parliament vote on the massacre of Armenians by Ottoman Turks has been hailed as "very positive" by his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan. READ (10 COMMENTS) »

University massacre threat suspect released

University massacre threat suspect released

The 33-year-old student held on suspicion of the massacre threat at the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) in Stockholm on Monday has been released. READ (5 COMMENTS) »

More Science & Technology
Find a new job in Sweden now
17/03 SMB Enterprise Sales Manager (P)
Dell Inc.
Denmark
17/03 Englishspeaking sales representative
Academic Work AB
Stockholm
17/03 Material Specialist -- Aluminium Foil
Tetra Pak
Malmö
17/03 Trader/Analyst for Sales Pricing Desk (m/f)
E.ON Energy Trading
Düsseldorf, Germany
17/03 English speaking Configuration Manager
Academic Work AB
Stockholm
17/03 EPC - Power system Engineer, Vestas Technology R&D, Aarhus DK
Vestas Technology R&D
Aarhus

ALL JOBS »



Blog Update: Boston Blatte

18 March 01:36

Bathroom culture: the sewer of the cultural soul. »

"As I stood in line to pee (had to ponder which word to call the “facilities” and decided to skip it entirely–didn’t want to alienate the Canadians, Brits, Irish and Antipodeans) at Berns, a posh night club venue in Stockholm, for the first ever comedy for the International Comedy Night (sheesh, that’s a long sentence..." READ »

Highlights
RESTAURANTS »
Find a table at Sweden's best restaurants - then review them on The Local in our new restaurant section
Photo: www.stureplan.se
GALLERY »
Out on the town: March 12-13
March in Sweden: Slush, bears and skiing royals
LIFESTYLE »
March in Sweden: Slush, bears and skiing royals
Photo: www.finest.se
GALLERY »
The weekend's 'finest': March 12-13
Josh Rouse
LIFESTYLE »
What's On in Sweden: March 12th - 18th Josh Rouse hits Gothenburg with his guitar; international comedy in Stockholm; hot house music in Malmö.
Photo: www.erikolsson.se
GALLERY »
Property of the Week
Photo: Winston Davidian
OPINION »
'Inflexible welfare model keeping young Swedes out of work'
Photo: Anastasia Pirvu
GALLERY »
Stockholm/Uppsala Street Style, March 7-8
Photo: Piteå Kommun
SPONSORED ARTICLE
Swedish Rail Destinations with SJ: Piteå is best known as a summer destination, but wintertime offers skating across the ice in the Gulf of Botnia and cosy dinners in the pretty town centre.
Latest news from The Local in Germany
Blog
  • 5 questions for Maria Ernestam
    The novels of journalist-become-author Maria Ernestam are both serious and humorous. Sometimes compared with works by Isabel Allende, Fay Weldon, Ingrid Noll and Ruth Rendell, Ernestam's books have...
  • Film studio Sweden
    Sweden — with its midnight sun, northern lights and areas with certainty of snow — is attracting filmmakers from all around the world. Besides an exotic environment, Sweden has other advantages as a...
  • Veronica Hedenmark
    “I’d like to travel and fly without having to think about the practical arrangements — but the practical part severely restricts my movements,” says entrepreneur Veronica Hedenmark, who uses an...
  • Victoria Webster
    Victoria Webster became Sweden’s first specialist in emergency medical care. This attracted considerable media attention, since she has a cerebral palsy (CP)* disorder.
Essentials

Jobs - in Sweden, in English
Get your career on track with our job listings from Sweden's top employers.

Property - renting or buying in Sweden
Navigating the minefield of renting or buying an apartment or house in Sweden.

Weather
"There is no bad weather, just bad clothes," say the Swedes. Here's the forecast for everyone else.

Introducing...
Every week The Local serves up a spicy helping of Swedish celebrity for your delectation.

Stockholm Syndrome
Tales of crazy Swedish classes, hamfisted attempts to understand - and explain - real Swedes, and varied experiences of fellow foreigners gathered for your amusement.

Search News


Register

Register now for:
> Free use of noticeboard
> Special discounts
> Weekly news roundup
> Unlimited use of discuss

REGISTER FOR FREE »

Jobs in Sweden, in English

424 jobs in Sweden, in English
102 new jobs this week
0 new jobs today

ALL JOBS »

JOB: Digital Ad Operations Coordinator - Stockholm
The Local seeks a digital advertising specialist to administer advertising operations for our network of sites
FULL JOB DETAILS
Counseling in English Individuals & Couples - Stockholm
Beth Rogerson PhD - Clinical, Marriage & Family Therapist
Click or call 08-5580 1266 now
JOB: Sales manager - Stockholm
The Local is seeking a talented media sales professional to drive our online advertising sales
FULL JOB DETAILS
Visiting Stockholm?
Then you'll find The Local's new Stockholm Section useful. Find pics, guides, news and lots of useful information about Stockholm.
www.thelocal.se/stockholm
The Local's new Marketplace
Find products and services that are specifically focused on English speakers living in Sweden!
FULL DETAILS
Welcome to Adlon Hotel in Stockholm
A perfect location both for business and pleasure. Centrally located, with atmosphere.
www.adlon.se
Winter archipelago tours
Visit Stockholm's beautiful archipelago. Great boat tours for all preferences.
MORE INFORMATION
Doctor of Psychology
Therapy in English

David Schultz PsyD
Individuals & couples
In Stockholm in person or by phone or video conferencing
www.anxiousorblue.se
Play football in Stockholm
Kick-off the new football season with LFC, Stockholm's premier English-speaking football club.
MORE INFO