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

Hansson, Anton LU ; Linderson, Hans LU and Foley, Brendan LU (2022) In International Journal of Nautical Archaeology 51(2). p.358-375
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.... (More)
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. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Marine archaeology, dendrochronology, shipwreck, Baltic Sea, medieval, Marine archaeology, dendrochronology, shipwreck, Baltic Sea, medieval
in
International Journal of Nautical Archaeology
volume
51
issue
2
pages
18 pages
publisher
Taylor & Francis
external identifiers
  • scopus:85142884062
ISSN
1095-9270
DOI
10.1080/10572414.2022.2132715
project
Floating Castles: the Built Environment and Social Signaling in Medieval Scandinavia
Vrak och tratunnor fran GRIBSHUNDEN: bevis for Politisk Ekonomisk Renassans i Östersjön
Gribshunden barrel dendrochronology
GRIBSHUNDEN Shipwreck 2019
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
292511dd-86ce-41fc-bb44-6a96f625b960
date added to LUP
2022-11-17 16:56:42
date last changed
2023-10-26 14:56:29
@article{292511dd-86ce-41fc-bb44-6a96f625b960,
  abstract     = {{Wooden casks were used extensively to transport goods in medieval Europe but have been<br/>largely overlooked in Scandinavian marine archaeological studies. We present a study of<br/>casks recovered from the Danish-Norwegian royal flagship Gribshunden, which sank in<br/>the summer of 1495 outside Stora Ekö Island in southeastern Sweden. During<br/>excavations in 2020–2021, archaeologists recovered 135 wooden staves and heads for<br/>dendrochronological analysis. Seventy-nine percent of the samples were successfully<br/>dated and provenanced from seven different timber source areas, predominantly<br/>southeastern Baltic (59%) and Scania (22%). These results suggest the geographical<br/>extent of the late medieval Nordic timber trade. Components from several source areas<br/>were incorporated within individual casks, suggesting staves were bulk goods<br/>transported to production centres for cooperage. The dating results indicate the life span<br/>of medieval casks was just a few years. This study highlights the untapped potential of<br/>wooden casks for a wide range of research fields.}},
  author       = {{Hansson, Anton and Linderson, Hans and Foley, Brendan}},
  issn         = {{1095-9270}},
  keywords     = {{Marine archaeology; dendrochronology; shipwreck; Baltic Sea; medieval; Marine archaeology; dendrochronology; shipwreck; Baltic Sea; medieval}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{11}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{358--375}},
  publisher    = {{Taylor & Francis}},
  series       = {{International Journal of Nautical Archaeology}},
  title        = {{Casks from Gribshunden (1495) – Dendrochronology of Late Medieval Shipboard Victual Containers}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10572414.2022.2132715}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/10572414.2022.2132715}},
  volume       = {{51}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}