Boat Building in Viking period

Norwegian boat building dates back to the Stone Age and Bronze Age. Today's boat building terminology like HUD (skin used for planking) and SØM (sew used for rivets and nails) date back to a period when wooden framed boats were covered by animal skins.

Thanks to the rapid development of tools and its rich stock in the old extended Viking forests, the timber became the most practical boat material.
Early built boats were only carved tree trunks later; planks were added to grow the boat size leaving the main tree trunk at the bottom of the boat.

The best example of Stone and Bronze ships is found at Haugen just outside of Sanderfjord. These primitive boats will be able to take 30 crewmembers to sail the ocean.
Later in the Iron Age, boats were made out of clinker and were propelled by oars. Boats were less stable and it is presumed that no sails were used.

Boat digging as for the Kvalsund and the Roskilde ships, have enlighten our knowledge. The Kvalsund ship designed to be a row ship date back to AC. Another boat dating from 1000 AC was found in Skuldelev in Denmark: the Roskilde ship was primarily used for sailing and in lack of wind, oars propelled it.

Oak was the timber that dominated boat building during the Stone Age and Bronze Age, but pine was also used in Norway. Oaks of 18 meters like the one used in the Gokstad ship would be difficult to find today. Cutting the huge trunk with the help of axes and adzes they produced out of a one-meter tree, 20 planks of 30cm width. Vikings would use the branches and tree to build the bow and other parts of the boat.
Visit other viking-boat history sites.