The researchers speculate that the ancient ship may have been the lavish burial place of a king, queen or noble warrior.
The ship
19 meters long and 5 meters wide, was discovered in the Gjellestad area southeast of Oslo, dating from 750 to 850, said archaeologist Knut Paasche of the Norwegian Institute of Cultural Heritage. "We still don't know if this is a rowboat or a sailboat. Other types of boats like the Gokstad and the Tune combine both oars and sails," said Paasche. However, the keel looks different from other Viking boats.
The boat is buried in a mound that was razed by Skull 3D farmers' plows after decades, inside a large complex of at least 20 graves, not far from Jell Mound, the second largest mound in Norway, dating from around 400-500. According to excavation team leader Christian Rodsrud, this gap clearly shows that the Vikings wanted a connection with the past.