A Viking Ship offers a look at Viking Traditions
Viking ship in Roskilde Fjord near the Viking Museum
A craft was found in 1880 near Gokstad, on the Sandefjord. It was the custom in ancient times among the Vikings, or water pirates, to bury their dead heroes and all their implements with their ships. The domestic animals of the departed were burned and the ashes also interred in the ship.
This Viking ship was buried in blue clay, which probably prevented the utter decay of the wood. A great hero must have been inhumed in this ship, as in taking it from its ancient bed, it was found that the place used as a grave had been opened and robbed, probably soon after the remains had been deposited therein.
The ship is 75 feet long, and is build high and sharp on each end. Amidships the bottom is flat. It has sixteen holes for row-locks on each side, and also a place for the mast. The crew must have numbered about forty hands. The rudder is not attached in line with the keel, but is about six feet from the stern of the boat on the starboard side, which may account for the word "Starboard," which is used to designate the right side of a ship.
A number of wooden shields, with iron ornamentations, were found in it. The deck boards are not fastened, but can be taken up or put down at pleasure. As a piece of woolen cloth was also found, it is presumable that cloth served the purpose of protection against inclement weather.
We could not discover no place in the ship where cooking could have been done -- in fact, there was no room for such a place -- but as a large copper kettle and all sorts of wooden dining utensils were found, it is possible the Vikings went ashore every night to camp. If so, that may account for the use of the large, long adjustable wooden bedsteads which were found, and which could no how have been put up and used aboard.
The whole viking ship is built of oak wood. The planks are fastened with large, square-headed iron nails. The deck-beams are tied to the ribs with the roots of trees, and the whole ship is calked with cow-hair ad resin.
A frame building has been erected in the rear of the Trondhjem City museum especially for this ship and its contents. Hundreds of bones of human beings and of animals, also the different implements of wood, iron and stone used in those ancient days, are nicely arranged upon the walls.
It is said that the ship was buried in the ninth century, about 1,000 years ago. Considering the length of time it was under ground, it is in a remarkable state of preservation. It is now covered with a heavy coat of oil, to prevent further decay, and it looks entirely black.
Source: Weekly Wisconsin, April 3, 1886, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Page 7, Columns 1 and 2
