Typically equipped with rowing positions along their entire length, longships also utilised one big square sail, woven from wool. Steering came courtesy of a single steering oar at the back of the ship. Their symmetrical bow and stern design allowed longships to swiftly reverse without having to turn around. This was particularly handy when navigating icy conditions.
TV A new online only channel for history lovers. They could be taken up rivers and over land if need be. So that was the main secret behind the Viking ships, that they were so light that they could be used for a lot of things. When sailing in one, you would have been pretty exposed to the elements. It was not a holiday to try to cross the North Sea and definitely not to try to go to Iceland or Greenland.
The first thing that you would have experienced when you went on board was the smell. There would have been tar everywhere to conserve and protect the wood and parts of the rigging. If the ship was freshly tarred it would have been very sticky, and the tar would have got on your clothes and skin. You would also probably have smelt a rotten stench, from the fats that were used in the sails to make them more windproof.
You would have been outside all the time and exposed to the weather. You got wet when it rained and hot when the sun shone. It was pretty cramped on board because ships were expensive and, especially for warships, the whole idea was to try to transport as many people as possible in one unit, because that made it efficient as a weapon. It would have been a rather cramped, cold and smelly experience.
He was speaking to HistoryExtra content director David Musgrove on an episode of our podcast about the Gjellestad excavation and Viking ships in general. Listen below, or on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. Sign in. Back to Main menu Virtual events Masterclasses.
All these natural products were traded for goods in different countries. In Britain, the Vikings wanted to obtain wheat, wool, honey and tin. They bought salt and wine from France, and glass from Italy. This glass was often recycled and formed into beads for necklaces. By travelling along Russian rivers, merchants from the east were able to provide the Vikings with luxuries such as silk, silver and spices.
Visit us. National Maritime Museum. Plan your visit. Top things to do. Visit Us. Search Want to search our collection? Search here. Vikings travelled on vessels called Longships sometimes called Longboats or Dragon Boats.
The ships were super advanced during the Viking age, a skilled navigator could even reach America on one! Find out more about Longships with these quick facts:. The Vikings used longships for trading, exploring and raiding. Longships were narrow and light making them quick to manoeuvre through water. They could even be carried by Vikings over land, allowing them to sneak up on an enemy be approaching from a different direction.
Longships were built in a 'clinker' style. Wooden planks, usually oak, were overlapped and then nailed together. Any gaps would be filled with tarred wool and handfuls of animal hair, just to make sure the Longship wouldn't leak. They had a single sail in the centre of the boat, often shown striped in red and white.
Sails were made from wool or linen and then dyed red. Some archaeologists believe that Longship sails came in many different colours, Vikings were known for liking bright colours. In situations of low wind, the crew would row the boat using the oars.
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