The history of the Hanseatic League is quite fascinating. It was a medieval commercial and defensive confederation of merchant guilds and market towns in Central and Northern Europe. Growing from a few North German towns in the late 12th century, the League ultimately encompassed nearly 200 settlements across seven modern-day countries; at its height between the 13th and 15th centuries, it stretched from the Netherlands in the west to Russia in the east, and from Estonia in the north to Kraków, Poland in the south.
The original Hanseatic crane (Krantor) in Danzig (now Gdansk) was built in 1363. It was heavily damaged in WW II and rebuilt in the 1950s. This crane might have loaded and unloaded the ship they just found.
How did they power the crane, you ask? Human hamsters! Those guys must have been in great shape and eaten 10,000 calories every day they worked.
Map of Hanseatic League extent, 1400.
