Work

Casks from Gribshunden (1495) – Dendrochronology of Late Medieval Shipboard Victual Containers

Year: 2022

Type: article

Abstract: Wooden casks were used extensively to transport goods in medieval Europe but have been largely overlooked in Scandinavian marine archaeological studies. We present a study of casks recovered from the Danish-Norwegian royal flagship Gribshunden, which sank in the summer of 1495 outside Stora Ekö Island in southeastern Sweden. During excavations in 2020–2021, archaeologists recovered 135 wooden staves and heads for dendrochronological analysis. Seventy-nine percent of the samples were successfully dated and provenanced from seven different timber source areas, predominantly southeastern Baltic (59%) and Scania (22%). These results suggest the geographical extent of the late medieval Nordic timber trade. Components from several source areas were incorporated within individual casks, suggesting staves were bulk goods transported to production centres for cooperage. The dating results indicate the life span of medieval casks was just a few years. This study highlights the untapped potential of wooden casks for a wide range of research fields.

Source: The International Journal of Nautical Archaeology

DOI: 10.1080/10572414.2022.2132715

Authors: Anton Hansson, Hans Linderson, Brendan Foley

Institutions: Lund University, Region Blekinge

Language: English

Topic: Maritime and Coastal Archaeology

Subfield: Archeology (arts and humanities)

Field: Arts and Humanities

Domain: Social Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $2,500

Funder: Crafoordska Stiftelsen