Danish archaeologists have made a significant discovery—it’s the remains of the largest cogwheel ship ever found, located off the coast of Copenhagen after nearly 600 years. This was confirmed by the Viking Ship Museum in Roskilde in late December, revealing that the ship was uncovered in the Øresund Strait, situated between Denmark and Sweden.
Divers stumbled upon the ship during an underwater survey in preparation for construction on the Linnetholm development in Copenhagen. According to a statement from the Viking Ship Museum, marine archaeologists noticed something was off from the very first dive.
As layers of sand and silt were carefully removed, an incredible discovery became clear: it wasn’t just a typical shipwreck but the largest cog ever identified, a vessel that marked a cornerstone of medieval trade.
Known as Sverget 2, the ship has been dated back to 1410. It stretches about 92 feet in length, 30 feet in width, and rises to 20 feet high, boasting an estimated payload capacity of around 330 tons. Researchers utilized tree-ring analysis to establish its age and determined that it was constructed from wood sourced from regions now in Poland and the Netherlands.
The museum claims this ship is “the largest ship of its type ever found in history.” It highlights that this cog was quite efficient and manageable, requiring only a small crew even while carrying heavy cargo.
Uldum, a marine archaeologist leading the excavation, elaborated that the cog fundamentally altered trade dynamics, broadening the scope from luxury items to include everyday goods over long distances.
Interestingly, the ship’s preservation can be attributed to the protective layers of sand, which safeguarded it from deterioration. One surprising element unearthed was its rigging, containing ropes and fittings that had upheld the mast.
Besides the ship itself, divers recovered personal items that sailors used daily—everything from plates and shoes to combs and rosary beads. They even found a brick galley, where crew members would prepare meals, which was quite a luxury for seafarers of that era.
No signs of its cargo have surfaced yet, although the museum speculates it may have carried barrels of salt along with bundles of cloth and wood. Still, the museum asserts that there’s no evidence suggesting military use for the Sverget 2.
The prevalence of gears of this scale in Northern Europe during that timeframe remains somewhat unclear. Otto Uldum pointed out that while evidence is scarce, the technology of shipbuilding showcased a trend of increasing size from 1200 to 1400.
He noted the unusual preservation of the ship in comparison to similar finds, like those unearthed in protected reclaimed underwater areas, versus open-sea sites. Uldum enthusiastically reported the restoration of the stern castle as significant, marking the first archaeological proof of these elevated structures depicted in medieval art.
Overall, this remarkable find offers a newfound understanding of maritime life, along with insights into the diets of crew members, potentially revealed through further analysis of various remains found during the excavation.
