How Viking ships travel
This is how Viking ships emerged from the fog...
Snake raced son Trygggvi,
Well done, on the waves
Fall aggravated evil
Gold poobzhatu.
Olav climbed on the Bison,
Noble wolf water.
Sea beast soap
Powerful horn on the road.
Funeral verse for Saint Olaf. Translated by S. V. Petrov
Well done, on the waves
Fall aggravated evil
Gold poobzhatu.
Olav climbed on the Bison,
Noble wolf water.
Sea beast soap
Powerful horn on the road.
Funeral verse for Saint Olaf. Translated by S. V. Petrov
Monuments stories. Let's start with the fact that we're all very lucky that the Vikings had a habit of burying their nobles in ships. They didn't burn them, which would have been logical, but buried them. This operation required considerable labor, as the ship had to be hauled ashore and then piled with earth. They scuttled some of the ships in Roskilde, and they, too, have survived, albeit without grave goods. Some ships are better preserved than others, but taken together, we now know what Viking ships looked like in detail. However, even today, some of them have real adventures. And it's these that we'll tell you about today, but first, let's remember what kind of ships the land of the Norsemen gave us.
The Viking Ship Museum in Bygdøy, a branch of the University of Oslo's Museum of Cultural History
Of course, all of them are now kept in museums, and there are quite a few of them, and all the ships they contain are interesting in their own way, but the most interesting, by far, is the "Oseberg ship." It is the best-preserved Viking ship in the world, and it plays a key role in our understanding of the so-called Viking Age.
This is how they were found in the ground. Photo from the excavation of the "Gokstadt ship."
In all respects, this is a typical longship, which was found in 1904 near Tønsberg in the Vestfold region of Norway. Here are some of its characteristics: length - 21,6 meters; width - 5,1 meters; mast height - could range from 6 to 10 meters; with a sail area of 90 m2 The ship could reach speeds of up to 10 knots; 15 pairs of oarlocks indicate that it was propelled by 30 rowers. The Osebergskipet (as the vessel is called in Swedish) was exhibited at the Viking Ship Museum at the University of Oslo. Incidentally, this museum is truly unique. It houses the world's most important and comprehensive collection of artifacts from that era, numbering over 50,000 items, ranging from the Oseberg ship to the Langeid sword and the small pearls from Kaupang, testifying to that distant era.
The Oseberg Ship attracted an inordinate number of tourists. Their footsteps created vibrations that gradually eroded the ship's fragile wood. Their breathing was no help either. And... the time had come to move it to a new building, where conditions would be incomparably better than before. Museum of Cultural History, University of Oslo
As for the ship's design and origin, it has been determined that it was built in southwestern Norway in 820 and is made of oak, while the oars and mast are pine. The ship's value lies in the fact that it is made of almost 90% original wood from that time, with only 10% being modern-day wood.
The ship sailed for 14 years, but was then hauled ashore and used for the burial of… two women, which occurred in 834. Who these women were, or why they were so honored, we don't know. But all the gifts they received suggest that one or both of them played an important social role, perhaps political or religious, or perhaps both. Incidentally, genetic analysis of their remains has now revealed that they were not Norwegian, but rather hailed from somewhere in Iran!
The figurehead of the "Oseberg Ship." Until recently, it had not been on display due to its fragile condition. Museum of Cultural History, University of Oslo
The ship is richly decorated with carvings that wind along the bow, ending in the curved body of a serpent with a head. Such ornate ships were intended for especially important members of the aristocracy. The side planking was secured with iron nails. The planking below the waterline is only 2-3 cm thick, while the two upper rows are slightly thicker. The deck is made of short planks that are simply laid on the crossbeams. This planking could be removed at any time and so much cargo could be piled into the hold that it would rise above the deck level!
Carved dragon heads from the film "And Trees Grow on Stones" (1985). Still from the film
"Dragon's Head." Found aboard the Oseberg Ship. Museum of Cultural History, University of Oslo
The Gokstad Ship, a 9th-century Viking ship, was discovered in 1880, before the Oseberg Ship, inside a burial mound on the shore of Sandefjord (Vestfold), Norway. The vessel is approximately 23 meters long and 5,1 meters wide. The oars are 5,5 meters long. This ship is completely unadorned and has no carved ends, but it is nonetheless very beautiful, with a steeply rising hull line at both ends, creating a graceful silhouette. It is also built of oak. The Gokstad Ship served as the prototype for the longships built in 1984 for the filming of the historical adventure movie "And Trees Grow on Stones." Incidentally, after filming concluded in 1985, they were erected as a monument on the embankment of the Big Dipper in Vyborg.
A fine ship, and more than one at that, was built here for the filming of the historical movie "And on the Rocks Trees Grow." A still from the film.
The ship is one ton heavier than the Oseberg Ship, but has half as many frames. After the excavations were completed in 1929, the Gokstad vessel, divided into two parts, was transported to the bank of a river approximately a kilometer from the excavation site, flowing into the Oslofjord. From there, it was transported on a fishing boat to Oslo, to the Bygdøy Peninsula, and placed in a building that is part of the Museum of Cultural History at the University of Oslo. Interestingly, the ship's builders were frugal and even used planks with knots: the knots were removed and cork was used instead!
The mast mounting steps on board the "Gokstad Ship." Note also that the oar holes in the sides are covered with special wooden caps, even carved with runes! Museum of Cultural History, University of Oslo
A steering oar aboard the Gokstad Ship. Oslo University Museum of Cultural History
The man buried aboard the ship was at least over 50 and stood about 185 cm tall. He also suffered from arthritis and likely simply couldn't walk. Who was he? Most likely a chieftain or local king in Vestfold, who enjoyed the support of other local chieftains. Archaeologists found no valuables in the burial—they were likely stolen by grave robbers long ago—but they nonetheless yielded a number of interesting items, including game boards, dishes, tents, three smaller boats, twelve horses, eight dogs, and two peacocks. Weapon and the jewels were taken away back in the late 900s.
Later, other ships were found, and even many more, but these turned out to be the most interesting.
A steel frame is being constructed around the ship. The biggest challenge was ensuring nothing could fall! Oslo University Museum of Cultural History
A ship in transit. Oslo University Museum of Cultural History.
The journey has ended… The Museum of Cultural History of the University of Oslo
Moreover, the decision was made to replace the old Viking Ship Museum building with a new, more spacious and comfortable one, and to house the most impressive ships there. This was no easy feat, despite the short distance to the new building—only about 100 meters. Nevertheless, it was a complex engineering undertaking. Due to the fragility of the ships, they had to be handled with extreme care, especially the heavier and less durable Gokstad ship. For example, the Oseberg was encased in a steel frame weighing over 50 tons for over two years, allowing it to remain in place during the entire construction of the new museum building. The ship was moved to its new location in September 2025, moving the frame and ship very slowly along a rail mounted to the ceiling, at a speed of just 30 cm every 5,5 minutes. Meaning, the journey to its new location took a full 10 hours.
Oseberg Museum in a new building! Museum of Cultural History, University of Oslo
The future interior of the museum. Museum of Cultural History, University of Oslo
This is how the gold will be displayed. Oslo University Museum of Cultural History
Then, on December 29th, the "Gokstad Ship" was moved, also taking ten hours to transport, covering a distance of 94 meters! And now the "Gokstad Ship" has also taken its place in the new building housing such valuable artifacts! And there's plenty to see there, not just the ships themselves, but also finds from the Viking culture...
"Gullsporen" is a unique Viking Age spur from Norway and the only such find in Scandinavia. The spur is covered in intricate filigree work, and the work is remarkably detailed. It was likely crafted by a Scandinavian jeweler in the late 900th century. The spur was found in 1872 at Red Farm, but no burial was discovered nearby. However, a second spur like it has never been found. Museum of Cultural History, University of Oslo
This beautiful basalt stone axe was discovered in the late 1700s at Fiskumvannet in Øvre Eiker. A fisherman there used it as a sinker on his net. The axe was sent to the university museum in 1853, and since then it has been recognized as the most beautiful artifact from the Middle Neolithic period, meaning it was made approximately 4500 years ago. It's hard to believe the axe was lost by accident—it was clearly purposefully thrown into the water, where the farmer found it. Moreover, the axe is remarkably well preserved. The axe is 18,6 cm long. Museum of Cultural History, University of Oslo
Around 3000 Viking Age swords, both plain and ornate, have been found in Norway. Many bear the inlaid inscriptions ULFBERHT or INGELRII, indicating that the blades themselves were forged in what is now southern Germany, and that the inscriptions are a kind of trademark. From left to right: a sword from Steinsvik, Nordland; a sword from Risvold in Telemark, 800–850; a sword from Hedmark, 900; a sword from Momrak in Telemark, 950–1000; a sword from a source in Hedmark County, 800. Museum of Cultural History, University of Oslo
Another Viking Age sword. Museum of the City of Nantes, France.
Sleds from the ship "Oseberg." When this ship was excavated in 1904, a broken sled was found. The sled parts were preserved with alum, but this method of preservation proved destructive to the wood, making the sleds very brittle. Furthermore, the parts that were once held together were exposed to the elements, so the sleds are now held together primarily by an outer layer of varnish and glue. The wood is about to turn to dust, and a way to save it is urgently needed. However, funds have already been allocated for their study and preservation. Museum of Cultural History, University of Oslo
A replica of the Viking in 1893 at the Chicago International Exhibition
The Gokstad ship has been reconstructed several times. The first replica was built back in 1892. On this vessel, named "Viking," 13 Norwegian sailors under the command of Captain Magnus Anderson sailed across the Atlantic Ocean in 40 days from Bergen to Chicago, where the 1893 World's Fair was held. After the voyage, it was discovered that the vessel could be easily handled by one man in normal weather and even heavy seas. Its maximum measured speed was 11 knots, which was quite respectable even for more modern ships. The elastic connection between the frames and the planking, which prevented the hull from flexing in rough seas, turned out to be an advantage rather than a drawback. Moreover, the crew pulled the vessel ashore with relative ease. However, an attempt to row the vessel ended in failure, apparently because the crew had not been trained in this technique.
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