Wooden ships-drakkary of Vikings: description, history and interesting facts

Medieval Drakkars of the Vikings are one of the most recognizable symbols of the famous warlike people. The appearance of these ships on the horizon caused the horror of the Christians of Europe for several centuries. The design of the Drakkars included a generalization of the rich experience of Scandinavian masters. These were the most practical and fastest ships of their time.

"Dragon" ship

The Viking Drakkars were named after mythical dragons. Their heads were cut out on the figures attached to the nose of these ships. Thanks to the recognizable appearance of the court Scandinavians could easily be distinguished against the background of the ships of the rest of Europeans. Dragons were installed on the nose only when approaching the enemy settlement, and if the Vikings swam into their own harbor, they cleaned the frightening monsters. Like all pagans, these sailors were extremely religious and superstitious. They believed that in a friendly port the dragon angered the good spirits.

Another characteristic attribute of the Drakkar was the numerous shields. The crew hung them on the sides of their vehicles. The Viking Drakkars were surrounded by white shields, if the team wanted to demonstrate their peace. In that case, the seamen folded their weapons. This gesture was the prototype of using the white flag in later times.

Versatility

In the IX-XII centuries. Viking ships (drakkary) were the most versatile in the whole of Europe. They could be used as a transport, military vessel and means for exploring distant sea borders. It was on the Drakkar that the Scandinavians were the first to reach Iceland and Greenland. In addition, they discovered Vinland - North America.

As multifunctional ships, the Drakkars appeared as a result of the evolution of their predecessors, the snekkars. They were smaller in size and carrying capacity. At the same time, there were exclusively trading vessels - knorrs. They had more spaciousness, but were inefficient in the riverbed. All these shortcomings were left in the past when the Drakkars appeared. The wooden ships of the new type of Vikings were excellent for traveling on fjords and rivers. That's why they were so fond of Vikings during the war. On such transport it was possible to suddenly penetrate deep into the territory of the ruined continental country.

Creating a Drakkar

The medieval ships of the Vikings (rooks and drakars) were built from different breeds of wood. As a rule, pine, ash and oak, widely used in the Scandinavian forests, were used. Materials specially designed for the collection of frames and keels were selected especially carefully. In total, about 300 trunks of oak and several thousand nails could leave for the creation of the average Drakkar.

The process of processing the tree included several stages. Immediately after the felling, it was several times split in half with the help of special wedges. Cutting was done with filigree precision. The master had to split the trunk exclusively along the natural fibers. Next, the boards were dampened with water and kept on fire. The materials obtained were very flexible. They could be given different forms. For all this, the tools of the masters never differed in excessive breadth. It included an ax, drills, chisels and other small accessories. The Scandinavians also differed in that they did not recognize the saw and did not use it when building ships.

Dimensions and skin

The sizes of the Drakkars were different. The largest models could reach 18 meters in length. The size of the team depended on the dimensions. Each member of the crew was assigned his own place. Sailors were sleeping on the benches, under which their personal belongings were kept. The largest ships could carry up to 150 soldiers.

Drakkar is a technical miracle of the Vikings. His uniqueness was evident in everything. So, for the shelling of their ships the Scandinavians used a method peculiar to their time. The boards were overlapped. They were fastened with the help of rivets or nails. At the final stage of the ship's construction, its frame collapsed and wasted. After this procedure, the design received additional stability, stability and speed of movement. Due to their outstanding qualities, the Drakkars could continue their journey even into the most terrible storms.

Control

The maneuverable Viking drakkars were driven by oars (especially on large ships, they could be up to 35 pairs). Every member of the crew was supposed to row. The teams changed in shifts, so the ship did not stop even in the longest way. In addition, a reliable sail was used. He helped to accelerate and take advantage of the sea wind.

Vikings, like no one, at one time knew how to determine the weather that was safe for travel. They also had ways to determine the approach of the earth. For this, the cells with birds were kept on ships. Periodically winged released into the wild. If there were no nearby land, they returned to the cells, not finding a place for another landing. If the team realized that she was out of the way, the ship could quickly change course. For this, the Drakkars were equipped with the most modern tiller at the time.

Evolution of Viking ships

The development of Scandinavian shipbuilding proceeded according to generally accepted laws: complex forms gradually replaced archaic ones. The first Viking ships did not have sails and were run exclusively by strokes. Such vessels did not require special design tricks. The freeboard of these models was of low altitude. It was limited by the length of the stroke.

The early Drakkars were small in size, which was why the steering wheel of such vehicles was small. One person could cope with it. However, as the ships increased and their design became more complex, the steering wheel became larger and heavier. For its adjustment, a cable was used, which was transferred through the gunwale. Gradually appeared and became the general support of the helm. By the end of the Viking Age (in the XII century), the ships became exclusively sailing. The method of fastening the mast also changed: it received elevating modifications. It was lowered when the surf passed.

Finds of sunken Drakkars

In the XX century, local fishermen of the Scandinavian coast several times accidentally stumbled upon the sunken Drakkars. Such findings are not only an amazing coincidence, but also a great success for archaeologists and historians. Some of the remains were raised to the surface and sent to museums in a preserved form.

One of the loudest findings of this kind was the case in 1920. Danish fishermen near the town of Skullleva found the remains of six Drakkars. To raise them to the surface was possible only 40 years later. With the help of a radiocarbon method, experts determined the age of the vessels: they were laid about 1000 years. Despite a huge number of years under water and numerous destruction, these artifacts allowed to compile the most complete picture of the peculiarities of medieval Scandinavian shipbuilding.

Interesting Facts

Scandinavian Drakkars - wooden boxes, which were equipped with sails, made from long sheep's hair. In this case, only the wool of a rare Northern European breed was used. The natural layer of fat helped the sail to keep dry even in the most unpleasant weather.

In order for the ship to take better advantage of the wind, the fabric was sewn exclusively in square or rectangular shape. A large sail for the Drakkar could reach an area of 90 square meters. It took about two tons of wool to produce it (despite the fact that one sheep gave an average of one and a half kilograms of this valuable material per year).