Boat of Gokstad

The boat of Gokstad is a boat Viking end of the 9th century having been discovered in a broad funerary monticule close to the Gokstad farm, in the area of Sandefjord in the Vestfold, Norway. It was released by Nicolay Nicolaysen in 1880.

The boat

The boat of Gokstad consists of " boards clouées" in construction with covering joints, all in oak. It is 23,50 meters long and 5,20 meters broad. It is about the broadest boat of all those exposed to the museum of the boats Vikings in Oslo. The boat was made to be propelled by 32 oarsmen, and the holes being useful for the passage of the oars could be occulted during a sailing. This one had a surface of approximately 120 m ² which, according to estimate, could make go the ship at a speed of 12 knots (against 5 nodes with the oar). When it was in not very deep water, the rudder could be raised, in order to not suffer any damage.

The dendrochronologic analysis suggests that the boat of Gokstad was built starting from trunks shot down around year 890.

The design of this last was shown like fact for the sea. A counterpart of the boat crossed the Atlantic on the basis of Bergen to be exposed with the World Columbian Exposition to Chicago, in 1893. Another counterpart, the Gaia , built in 1991 close to Bergen, crossed the Atlantic to go to Brazil, with a humane aim. Its current port: Sandefjord in the south of Norway.

The skeleton

During the excavations, the skeleton of an old man between 50 and 70 years was released. The remainders were found on a bed dug in a trunk. Although the identity of death is unknown, it was suggested that it is Olaf Geirstad-Alf, king de Vestfold (See Liste of the kings de Vestfold). It belonged to the house of Yngling, and died at that time according to Heimskringla (or saga of kings de Norvège).

Objects

Separately the principal ship, three small boats are found as well as a tent, a sledge and the harness of a horse. It is supposed that the monticule was profaned in old times, because at the time of the excavations it was not found any made object of money or gold. During the time Viking, the weapons were regarded as very important in the tomb of a man. In the case of the boat of Gokstad, no weapon was found, which leaves think that they were concealed by plunderers of tombs.

Currently the boat, the restored funerary room, two of the three small boats and two panels of the tent are exposed to the Musée of the ships Vikings of Oslo. Some other artefacts which survived the profanation are also visible in this museum.

See too

Musée of the ships Vikings of Oslo
Bateau of Oseberg
Bateau of Tune
Bateau falls
Dreknor
Bateau Viking

Reference

Christensen, A.E. Ingstad, A.S. and Myhre, B. (1992) " Osebergdronningens Grav" , Oslo

External bonds

Web page butt the Gokstad ship excavation.
The Oslo Viking Ship Museum.
Gaia, the Gokstad Ship Copy.

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