Gokstad Ship

The Gokstad Ship was discovered in a large burial mound at the Gokstad farm in Vestfold, Norway. The historic excavation was carried out in 1880 by the Norwegian archaeologist Nicolay Nicolaysen.

The ship served as the final resting place for a prominent Viking chieftain who died around the year 900 CE. Skeletal remains revealed the man was roughly 50 years old, powerfully built, and had suffered lethal combat wounds to his legs.

The vessel measures approximately 23 meters long and 5 meters wide, utilizing a sturdy clinker-built hull constructed entirely of oak. It was a highly seaworthy ship originally propelled by 32 shields along the sides, along with oars and a single square sail.

The original Gokstad ship and its surviving artifacts are currently on display at the Viking Ship Museum in Oslo, Norway. The museum houses several other remarkably preserved Viking-era wooden vessels excavated from the surrounding region.