In the waters of the Oresund strait near Copenhagen, archaeologists uncovered the largest medieval cog-type merchant vessel ever found (a medieval single-masted decked trading ship with a sturdy hull and high sides). The discovery of the vessel named Svaelget 2 overturns perceptions about the scale of commerce in Northern Europe during the fifteenth century. This is reported by the publication Independent, citing the Viking Ship Museum.
The ship, measuring 28 meters long, 9 meters wide, and 6 meters high, was constructed around the year 1410. It could carry about 300 tons of cargo—a record for such craft.
The head of the excavation, marine archaeologist Otto Uldum, called the find a significant milestone in maritime archaeology. According to him, it allows for a fresh understanding of how the largest merchant ships of the Middle Ages were built and how life aboard them was sustained.
Otto Uldum explained that shipbuilders intentionally made the vessels as capacious as possible for transporting salt, timber, bricks, and foodstuffs. Such enormous cogs brought about a true revolution in North European trade.
The timber for the ship was sourced from two regions: oak planks from Pomerania (modern Poland), and the frame from the Netherlands. Scientists believe the vessel was built precisely in the Netherlands, where they possessed the skill to create such large structures.
The ship is excellently preserved at a depth of about 13 meters due to the protective layer of silt. Archaeologists found remnants of tall “castles,” a brick hearth, and personal items belonging to the sailors: footwear, combs, prayer beads, bronze pots, and earthenware dishes.
Otto Uldum noted that these artifacts demonstrate the crew brought their familiar land-based life onto board. There are no traces of weaponry or fighting on the ship—it was purely a commercial vessel.
Previously, the cockpit of an aircraft that crashed 51 years ago was found in the Sea of Marmara. Turkish blogger and researcher Nedim Kurum discovered the wreckage of a Turkish Airlines passenger liner, which met disaster in 1975, on the seabed.
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