The Vikings: Longboats


Figure 1.--This evocative painting shows Vikings longboats saoling along the Norwegian coast. Notice the large sail and the shields secured above the planking as well as the draggon bow and sten ship figureheads. We do not think, however, it is accurate to depict the oars in the water while sailing. This modern painting is the work of Richard Benning.

The Vikings were fearsome warriors, but what made them difficult for medievl Europeans to resist them was the great mobility and speed of movement provided by the longboat. The Vikings used fair standard military technology at the time, swords, axes, chainmall, and other war gear. The longboat gave the Vikings what other Europeans did not possess. Speed of movement. The Vikings became the best sailors and navigators in Europe. Thus they could strike at will all along coasts and even up rivers. In the hands of a militarized society, the longboat was a fearsome weapon. Early versions of the Viking longboat began to appear (7th century). They were the most technologically advanced ship in Europe until the development of pure sailing vessels like caravells (15th century). The longboat could be propelled by both square sail and oars. It was be manned by a war party of Norsemen who would array their war shields along the side for protection. Contemporary accounts spoke of 'Draggon boats'. For some time these accounts were dismissed a hyperbole. Archeologists in modern times have unearthered well-preserved longboats and other Viking ships. Thus we now know a great deal about these vessels. At indeed they did have carved draggons at the bow. The vessels had a shallow draft giving them the ability to negotialte coastal waters and even go up rivers. They were superbly constructed by master craftsmen. They wee constructed along a long keel and rib design that was covered with overlapping planking called 'klinker'. The Viking klinker hulls were not nailed together which mean inflecible joints. Rather Scandanavian ship builders used hand-made iron rivits fastening the planking through drilled holes, creating a more flexible hull. The Viking longboats usually had a single central mast to support a large square sail and most commonly 18 oars. They were strongly built with characteristic high bows and sters. Thy were by a large margin the most seaworthy craft of their era. A the raiding bgan, they often traveled in fleets caoavle of deliverig a powerful striking fore with no advanced warning. The ability of Vikings using their longboats to arrive and depart by water before military resistance could be organized, coupled with their desire for plunder and rapacious violence made them greatly feared raiders throughout European Dark Age.







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Created: 8:46 PM 3/10/2017
Last updated: 8:46 PM 3/10/2017