The
Vessels of The Vikings
For a long time already the Nordic people had been skilful in building
vessels, long narrow and easy build crafts, which were driven ahead by
ors.
Mast and sails they had, but only as minor power. Normally the vessels
were klink build, that means that every plank with one side covers a little
of the next.
The Vikings had two different vessels, the war vessels and the
merchant vessels. The war vessels must be able to sail fast and be easy to
maneuver, because of the risk of sudden attacks, and so that they could get away
fast.
The vessels were long and narrow, so that they could slide easily
through the water.
The merchant vessels should carry goods and so were broad and draw
much water, and they were more stable in bad weather. The merchant vessels
were driven by ors, but had also sails.
For building a Viking vessel they used mostly Oakwood, as it was much
more durable, but they also used other sorts of wood . It has taken a
long time to build a Viking vessel, as they did not know the saw, but cut the
timber
using axes.
The Vikings loved their vessels, they had dragon heads, and they had beautiful carvings and paintings at the sails, and they gave their
vessels names.
.
Vessel
from Nydam Moor
.
The
Nydam Vessel is from 4-500 years after Ch. And is of approximately the
same size and the same building structure as the vessel, we in 1880
found in a burial mound at Gokstad near Sandefjord, which is several hundred
years younger.
.
The
Gokstad Vessel
.
Both
vessels have much in common with the present Nordlands vessel. Both vessels have a length of 23 - 24 meters, and a width of 3,3 meters.
The first has got 28 oars and the ladder 32.
There is nothing wrong in anticipating that most of the Viking vessels
have been such smaller vessels, and many even smaller . But often we hear
about chiefs building much bigger and stronger vessels. It is especially
from
Trondhjem these vessels are mentioned. The most known of them all is
Olaf Trygvasons "Ormen Lange", which was 48 meter long. Double as
long as The Gokstad Vessel, and had 68 ors. It is just as long as the big ship of
the
line from the times of Niels Juel and Tordenskjold, but not as wide
and high as these.
.
.
The
Battle of Svold, 1000 ad. Depicted on an older painting
.
.
The Nordic
Viking vessels were fear threatening to watch. The
dragon figures on the front of the vessels, pictures of wild animals painted
on the colorful sails, sides amoured with the fighters shields side by
side, as
rhythmical strokes of the oars drove the fast going vessels ahead.
During many generations every Nordic scald was accustomed to this
picture.
In the song about Helge Huddingsbane, a Viking fleet is gathered in a
harbor the night before the raid begins. The fighters are sleeping on board
under the erected tents. The morning is coming, and the leader threw off the
tents, so the heroes could see the morning come, and from the mast
came up the blowing sails. Oars groaned and iron rattled, shield crashed
against shield. The Vikings rowed, whistle were heard from the great leaders
armada,
distant from land. When waves met the long keel, it was like hearing mountains and the surf meet in a crash.
As a particular strong and ingenious war vessel Erik Jarls
"Jernbarde" is mentioned, which like "Ormen Lange" anticipated in The
Svolder battle in the year of 1000. It had in front iron spikes, and the whole front was
covered
with iron plates, which would cover also beneath the waterline.
.
