The “Big Ship” of Wismar: a well-preserved 12th-century cargo vessel from the harbour of Wismar

Abstract

In December 2017, maritime archaeologists from the state department for archaeology in Mecklenburg Western Pomerania excavated, recovered, and documented a shipwreck in the seaport of Wismar. The wreck of a clinker-built cargo vessel was one of three medieval vessels found during the extension of the commercial port. With riveted outer planking and the presence of bitis, the wreck can be placed in the Nordic shipbuilding tradition. The results of the dendrochronological analysis show that the vessel was built from oak and pine sourced from western Sweden in the period AD 1184–1190. The construction shows striking similarities with a number of large 12th-century cargo vessels found in northern Germany and Scandinavia.