Bored during the fall of 1879, two teenage brothers decided to investigate what was under the large mound located on their family farm of Gokstad, near Sandefjord, Norway, and — to their surprise —uncovered a viking longship¹. Remarkably well preserved, the Gokstad ship is a stunning example of the late 9th century Norse naval technology that allowed for extensive travel and conquest in the Viking Age.

The Gokstad ship is thought to have been constructed sometime between 850 and 890 AD for actual use; there is evidence of wear and tear around the oar-holes and on the recovered oars as well. The body of the ship is clinker-built, with 16 rows of oak strakes, a fixed rudder and a single timber keel. At 76.5' long and 17.5' across at its widest point, with 16 oar-holes on each side and 32 mounted shields, the Gokstad ship would have been crewed by about 34 men — 32 oarsmen, a helmsman and a captain². Although much of it had rotted away by the time of discovery, the ship also has the remnants of a pine mast and particle evidence of a 40'x40' woolen sail, indicating that it could have been both rowed and sailed.

Though it may appear crude by modern standards, the construction techniques used to build the Gokstad ship were revolutionary technological developments at the time. The thin strakes connected by clench nails that characterize clinker-built boats allowed for lighter, stronger boats that could endure longer voyages without taking on much water, while the shallower draft meant that these ships could easily navigate shallow water³. With such sophisticated technology at their disposal, rivers were now feasible routes inland and viking crews could make land anywhere, no docking or harbor infrastructure required. The combination of sails and oars made already formidable viking raids even more fearsome; in addition to being able to land anywhere, sails meant that crews could conserve energy on the journey, arriving ready to attack and could make a quick escape by tacking even if the wind wasn't in their favor.

Circa 900 AD the Gokstad ship was interred in a burial mound along with the remains of a powerfully built man believed to have been killed in battle. The skeletal analysis indicates that the man was in his 40s when he was killed and shows evidence of cutting blows to both legs that are consistent with common styles of warfare at the time⁴. The body was covered in a shroud and laid out in a raised bed in the burial chamber at the stern of the ship. Although any jewelry and weapons were stolen from the tomb long before it was excavated, the remaining grave goods (with a game board with horn pieces, fish hooks, iron harness tackle, kitchen equipment, 6 beds, a tent, 64 shields, a sledge, oars and 3 small boats⁵) and remains of 12 horses, 8 dogs, 2 goshawks and 2 peacocks suggest that this was a wealthy man of considerable status⁶.

From the first mention of viking activity (from the 789 AD entry in Æthelweard’s Chronicle) to modern perceptions of the vikings, ships like Gokstad have become emblematic of the Viking Age. The inclusion of boats as part of burial mounds further confirms the immense importance of boats, and thus seafaring ability, as central to Norse self-understanding.

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