Houses five original Viking ships deliberately sunk in Roskilde Fjord c.1070 to block enemy naval attack. The museum's research centre has reconstructed seaworthy replicas demonstrating that Norse cargo vessels could carry 20 tons across the Atlantic.
About This Site
The Viking Ship Museum in Roskilde, Denmark, is built around five original Viking ships recovered from the bottom of Roskilde Fjord, where they were deliberately sunk around 1070 A.D. to create an underwater barrier against enemy naval attacks. The vessels range from a small fishing boat to a large ocean-going warship and represent the full spectrum of Viking maritime technology. The museum's research centre has reconstructed several seaworthy replicas using period-accurate tools and techniques, including cargo ships capable of transatlantic voyages. Shipwright Marten Rodevad Dael and maritime archaeologist Dr. Morten Ravn lead research programmes documenting how Norse ship design evolved from oared craft to sail-powered vessels around 750 A.D., enabling the open-ocean voyages that eventually reached North America.
Connection to Oak Island
In Season 11, Rick Lagina, Doug Crowell, Corjan Mol, and the team visited the museum as part of their Scandinavian research trip. Dr. Morten Ravn showed them a vessel dating from the late Viking Age to the early medieval period and explained how the evolution from oared craft to sail-powered ships around 750 A.D. enabled transatlantic voyages. Shipwright Marten Rodevad Dael demonstrated a reconstructed cargo ship built around 1060 that could carry roughly 20 tons to North America, a capacity sufficient to transport significant quantities of material or treasure across the Atlantic.
Doug Crowell noted during the visit that a piece of wood found on Oak Island had been dated to 660 through 770 A.D. and resembled railing from the bow of just such a vessel. The comparison established that Norse ships of the period were both capable of reaching Nova Scotia and consistent in construction with wooden artifacts recovered from the island. The museum visit strengthened the case that Viking-era or early medieval seafarers may have reached Oak Island centuries before the arrival of later European expeditions.
Fieldwork Notes
Visited during Season 11 by Rick Lagina, Doug Crowell, and team members, accompanied by Corjan Mol. Dr. Morten Ravn and shipwright Marten Rodevad Dael guided the team through the original ships and reconstructed replicas. Doug compared a piece of Oak Island wood dated to 660-770 A.D. to the Viking vessel construction on display.
