Viking ship
175073
221482708
2008-06-24T18:20:30Z
Sonty567
6309327
/* Preserved ships */ - Allesund-ship (it is not a Vikingship)
[[Image:Moragsoorm.jpg|thumb|A modern version of a viking ship]]
'''Viking ship''' is a collective term for ships used during the [[Viking Age]] (793–1066) in Northern Europe. They often have a dragon head or other circular object protruding from the front and back, for design. The ships are normally divided into classes based on size and function:
== Types of Ship ==
=== Longship ===
:{{main|Longship}}
These were the most versatile of the Viking ships, with a length of about 100 feet (30m), a 20-foot (6m) beam, up to 60 oars, and a crew of about 70-80. These could carry up to 20 tons of supplies. A large type of longship, known only from historical sources, is the ''[[Drakkar]]''. These are said to have been the pride of Viking war-fleets, and were known as "Dragon Ships". The largest longship ever found however, is the ''Roskilde 6'' discovered in Roskilde harbour, in Denmark, in 1996/7. This ship is approximately 36m long and was built in the mid-11th century.
On September 10, 2007, a 1,000-year-old Viking transport longship ([[Nordic]] [[clinker]] design) was discovered under a [[pub]] [[parking lot|carpark]] on [[Merseyside]] (beneath 6 - 10 feet of clay by the Railway Inn in [[Meols]], [[Wirral]], a well known settling place of Vikings). Professor [[Stephen Harding]], of the [[University of Nottingham]] used [[ground penetrating radar]] (GPR) equipment to detect the vessel. The ship was first uncovered in 1938.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/merseyside/6986986.stm BBC NEWS, Viking ship 'buried beneath pub']</ref>
=== Knarr ===
{{main|Knarr}}
The ''[[Knarr]]'' was a cargo AMIT with a length of about 54 feet (16m), a beam of 15 feet (4.5m), and a hull capable of carrying 15 tons. Knarrs routinely crossed the [[North Atlantic]] centuries ago carrying livestock and stores to [[Iceland]] and [[Greenland]]. The vessel also influenced the design of the [[cog (ship)|cog]], used in the [[Baltic Sea]] by the [[Hanseatic League]].
=== Smaller Vessels ===
The ''[[Karve]]'' was a Viking ship unlike the longships, with a length of 70 feet (20m), a 17-foot (5m) beam, 16 oars, and a draft of about 3 feet (1m). The ''[[Faering]]'' was a small boat resembling a dinghy used to travel up and down rivers.
== Preserved ships ==
[[Image:Wikingerschiff_Oslo.jpg|thumb|250px|Deck from the ceremonial Oseberg Ship.]]
Only a few Viking ships have been excavated and preserved, the most famous of these are:
*The [[Gokstad ship]]
*The [[Oseberg ship]]
*The [[Tune ship]]
*The [[Skuldelev ships]]
== See also ==
*[[Cog (ship)]]
*[[Viking ship replica]]
== External links ==
{{Commonscat|Viking ships}}
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7171577.stm Recreating a Viking voyage - BBC]
* [http://www.vikingeskibsmuseet.dk/ The Vikingship Museum in Roskilde, Denmark]
* [http://www.bow.k12.nh.us/CyberBUS/vikings/gokstad_ship.htm Web page about the Gokstad ship excavation]
* [http://www.khm.uio.no/vikingskipshuset/english.php The Oslo Viking Ship Museum]
* [http://www.gaia.no Gaia, the Gokstad Ship copy]
* [http://www.khm.uio.no/utstillinger/oseberg/indexE.html The Oseberg Ship]
* [http://www.normandie-heritage.com/spip.php?article330 Dreknor Project, Normandy]
* [http://www.vikingship.org Leif Ericson Viking Ship] LEVS is a 501(c) 3 nonprofit educational organization dedicated to the study, education and promotion of the fact that Leif Ericson was the first European to set foot upon and explore the North American Continent and of Vikings in general, their times and travels throughout the world.
*[http://www.maritimewood.com/building-a-viking-ship-01.html Rebuilding and sailing a Viking Knarr ship]
*[http://home.exetel.com.au/manxman/vikings/the_vikings History of vikings]
*[http://www.kellscraft.com/ShipsandShipping/ShipsandShippingContentPage.html Francis Miltoun: Ships & shipping, London, Alexander Moring Ltd., 1903]
*[http://www.mariner.org/educationalad/ageofex/viking_ships.php The Mariner's Museum: Age of exploration]
==References==
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[[category:Viking Age]]
[[Category:Boat types]]
[[Category:Ship types]]
[[cs:Drakkar]]
[[da:Vikingeskib]]
[[de:Wikingerschiff]]
[[es:Drakkar]]
[[fr:Bateau viking]]
[[hr:Vikinški brod]]
[[is:Víkingaskip]]
[[it:Drakkar]]
[[hu:Drakkar]]
[[nl:Vikingschip]]
[[no:Vikingskip]]
[[nn:Vikingskip]]
[[pl:Drakkar]]
[[pt:Navio dragão]]
[[ro:Corabie vikingă]]
[[ru:Драккар]]
[[sk:Drakkar]]
[[fi:Pitkävene]]
[[uk:Дракар]]