Swedish inland:
A port hole of Slätteskär staring out in the dark water (see below).
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Lake Vänern in central Sweden is Europe's third largest sweetwater
lake, after Ladoga and Onega in Russia. Other large sweetwater lakes are Lake
Vättern and Lake Mälaren. Many finds have also been made in rivers and on
dry land (as a result of land rise).
- Björke
boat. 7 m long, c 100-300 AD. Found on land in the Gästrikland
region in 1947.
Simple logboat-type expanded with stitched-on side planks.
- The
Vendel graves. Boat graves at Fyrisån
River in Vendel parish near Uppsala. The graves are dated to c 550-800
AD and the period has been named Vendel Age after these graves. Of the
boats themselves almost nothing remains.
- Tuna
boat. Boat grave in Badelunda parish, Västmanland. This is one of 8
similar graves on the same site, all apparently being women's graves. In this grave
(grave no 75) a rich or
mighty woman was buried in the late 8th century AD. The boat
was 6-7 m long, constructed as a log boat with extended board planks.
Excavated in 1952-53 by Erik Nylén, Bengt Schönbäck and Harald
Åkerlund. A reconstruction was made in 2000.
- Valsgärde boats. Totally, 14 boat graves from
6th to 11th centuries AD have been found in this area near Uppsala. Investigated
by Greta Arwidsson in the 1940s. One of the boats was 12 m long, from 9th
century. The wood was gone but the iron rivets
preserved, indicating the hull outline.
- Årby boat. Found
as a boat grave in 1938 on land near Uppsala. 4 m
long rowing boat dated to ca 850-950 AD. A woman was buried with her
horse and dog. The boat, horse and dog
are (2002) displayed in the Museum of National Antiquities,
Stockholm. At least two reconstructions have been made. Ref. Holger Arbman: Der Fund von Årby (1940).
- Äskekärr
ship. Viking ship from c 900 AD. Found embedded in the Göta Älv
River bank in
1933. Excavated on land and displayed at the Göteborg City Museum. Only the
bottom parts remain of a c 16 m long ship.
- Bulverket boat,
Gotland. This is the largest of three boats found in the Tingstäde Träsk
Lake. It's clinker built with one mast, 8 m long, and dendro dated to the
1130s.
- Medieval boat? Near Naven lighthouse,
Lake Vänern, on 12 m depth, this well-preserved wreck was found in 1999. Clinker-built, not dated. The mast step is in one of the ribs which is quite unusual, reminding of the
Galtabäck finds (dated to 12th century).
Click on the link for the Real
Palyer video.
- The Helgeandsholmen wrecks. When the
Stockholm parliament was renovated and a garage was prepared in 1978-80,
ten or eleven wrecks were found on land. Most were dated to 14th
century. Finds
are displayed in the Medieval Museum, Stockholm.
-
Riddarholmen ship. Found
on Riddarholmen Island, Stockholm, excavated in
1930. Dendro dated to the 1520s, exhibited in the Medieval Museum,
Stockholm.
- The Wreck at "Gubbens hôla". Found on 24 m
depth in Lake Vänern in 2000. It is a 20 m long clinker-built ship,
still not investigated or dated. On the photo by Roland Peterson
the galley's fireplace is made of brick. To be investigated by
Vänermuseet.
Click on the link for the Real
Palyer video.
- Mälarskuta. Reported by Sture
Hultquist. Wreck in Lake Mälaren presumably from 1699.
-
Erik Nordewall.
Side-wheel paddle steamer built in 1836-37,
sunk in sweetwater lake Vättern in 1856, discovered very well preserved in
1980.
- Freja af
Fryken. Swedish passenger steamer built in 1868 and sunk in Lake Fryken in
1896. Found intact in 1976 by a scuba diver on 52 m depth and lifted in one
piece in 1994. Unfortunately the renovated ship burned in 1996 but has been
restored again in 1997 and is now in regular traffic after a century's
intermission.
- Slätteskär. Steamship made of wood in the
mid-19th century. Sank in 1904 on c 20 m depth in Lake Vänern. Very
well preserved with hull and deck fully intact. Photo of port hole
(above) by Roland Peterson, Vänermuseet. Click on the link for the Real
Palyer video.
- Sture. Steamer built of steel, sank in 1935 on 27 m
depth in Lake Vänern. Located by fishermen in the 1980s, later
investigated by divers. The photos below are made by archaeologist
Roland Peterson at Vänermuseet. Click on the link for the Real
Palyer video, showing various parts in excellent state of preservation,
including the logbook on the bridge.
A large block on the deck of Sture (1935). |
Sture's galley with potlids. |
Ceiling paint falling off in Sture's cabins. |