Work

A Historical Archaeology of Swedish Naval Lodjas and a Survey of a 1660 Wreck Barrier Outside Dalarö Sea Fortress

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: In the 17th century the most common transport vessel in the Swedish navy were lodjas. Yet, it has remained a mystery what these vessels looked like. This paper summarizes what is possible to know about these vessels from written sources and images. However, the main objective is to report a recent archaeological survey of five wrecks scuttled as a barrier in the Stockholm Archipelago. These might be identical to some worn lodjas used during construction of Dalarö sea fortress in the winter of 1659–60. For the first time, we have the archaeological opportunity to study the physical remains of lodjas.

Source: The International Journal of Nautical Archaeology

DOI: 10.1080/10572414.2026.2712263

Authors: Niklas Eriksson, Torbjörn Brorsson, Aoife Daly, Tori Falck, Jim Hansson, Morten Reitan

Institutions: Stockholm University, Norsk Folkemuseum, Statens museer för maritim-, transport- och försvarshistoria

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: Riksbankens Jubileumsfond