Archaeologists just found the largest and most advanced Medieval cargo ship ever...At 91 feet long and 300 tons, the Svælget 2 is the largest medieval cog ever found.

The Viking Ship Museum in Denmark recently announced an unprecedented discovery in the Øresund Strait: the world’s largest and most advanced medieval cargo ship ever found.

Hailed as “a milestone in maritime archaeology,” the discovery occurred while divers were investigating the seabed in the Sound, in anticipation of Copenhagen’s new Lynetteholm district, and stumbled upon a record-breaking cog buried beneath centuries of sand and silt.

Found approximately 43 feet deep, the precious wreckage escaped destructive forces, resulting in an extraordinary state of preservation that provided archaeologists with a rare, close-up look at never-before-seen details.

“It is extraordinary to have so many parts of the rigging,” noted the researchers.

Its sheer size and remarkable condition turned the excavation into a massive undertaking that required 289 dives and more than two and a half years to complete, according to Arkeonews. Now, the Viking Ship Museum has come forward, brimming with praise and insights into one of the medieval world’s most impressive vessels.

A groundbreaking cargo ship Named Svælget 2, this medieval cargo ship would have sailed the seas of Northern Europe with the astounding capacity to carry an immense 300-ton load with only a minimal crew.

Made of Polish and Danish wood, the vessel was described by the Viking Ship Museum in a press release as the “super ship” of the Middle Ages, measuring approximately 91 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 20 feet high.

Dendrochronological analysis revealed that Svælget 2 was built around 1410 using timber originating from Poland and the Netherlands. This indicated to archaeologists that while the frames were cut at the building site, shipbuilders imported other primary materials. So, researchers were impressed to discover that such large quantities of wood were moved across Europe.

In fact, this was the major insight archaeologists gleaned: the cog reflected the existence of a robust, complex trade network that the ship itself helped make possible. In a press release, the Museum called it “the backbone of medieval trade” because it could travel long distances and navigate treacherous waters without a large crew, making it an efficient, low-cost trading vessel.

“It is clear evidence that everyday goods were traded. Shipbuilders went as big as possible to transport bulky cargo – salt, timber, bricks or basic food items,” says Otto Uldum, head archaeologist, in a press release.

The cog was a trailblazer The ship marked a distinct shift in commerce when the goods exchanged were no longer just luxury items but everyday commodities too. The vessel literally expanded trade by cutting unnecessary costs and carrying heavy loads across Northern Europe.

Due to its excellent state of preservation, archaeologists recovered the ship’s hull, which is a rare find. Along the hull were remnants of the ship’s forecastle and aftcastle, which provided shelter for the crew. Until now, archaeologists could not confirm that these “castles” even existed on such ships.

A major surprise was the discovery of a brick-built galley, the earliest example of its kind ever found in Danish waters. This meant the crew could cook over an open fire in “remarkable comfort.” Besides, they found shoes, a comb, a cooking pot, and a wooden tray, as per Arkeonews.

All these extraordinary finds opened up a unique vantage point into daily life on board a groundbreaking cargo ship that changed the face of trade in Northern Europe. It signaled an economic boom in the region as they had the finances to build a vessel to rule the seas.

Major Lumber Shipping Ports in Poland During the Hanseatic League Era (Late 14th and Early 15th Centuries)

During the late 14th and early 15th centuries, the Hanseatic League facilitated extensive trade in Baltic timber, particularly oak, which was exported in large quantities to Western Europe for shipbuilding, construction, and other uses. The primary sources were the vast forests of Poland (including regions under the Teutonic Order, known as Prussian territories). Timber was typically floated down rivers like the Vistula and loaded at Baltic ports.

Primary Port: Danzig, Prussia

Danzig emerged as the dominant export hub for Polish timber during this period. Located at the mouth of the Vistula River, it served as the main gateway for goods from the Polish hinterland, including vast quantities of timber, grain, tar, wax, and amber. By the late 14th century, Danzig had become the largest and most prosperous Hanseatic city in the eastern Baltic, overtaking others in trade volume.

Its strategic position allowed efficient rafting of logs downstream, making it the principal shipping point for lumber destined for the Netherlands, England, Flanders, and beyond.

Secondary Port: Elbing

Elbląg was another significant Hanseatic port involved in timber exports. Situated near the Vistula Lagoon, it handled grain, amber, metals, and forest products, including timber. While not as dominant as Danzig, Elbing played a key role in regional trade and benefited from privileges for exporting forestry goods. It thrived alongside Danzig but saw its relative importance decline as Danzig grew.

Other Contributing Areas

- Inland cities like Thorn on the Vistula acted as transit hubs for timber (along with grain and honey), rafting goods downstream to coastal ports like Danzig.

- Königsberg (now Kaliningrad, then in Prussian territory) later gained prominence for amber and some timber, but in the early 15th century, Danzig remained preeminent.

- No other Polish ports matched the scale of Danzig and Elbing for lumber exports in this era.

Trade Context

The Hanseatic network enabled this trade, with Prussian/Polish ports supplying high-quality oak that was denser and more durable than Western European alternatives. Demand drove imports despite the distance, as local forests in the Netherlands and elsewhere were depleted. By the early 15th century, Danzig's role solidified, contributing to its status as a leading Hanseatic powerhouse.

Belw is a map of the Hanseatic League showing lumber ports on the Baltic in Prussia and waterways to the Netherlands. Note the inset at upper left is a street map for part of London.

Today, Gdansk (the renamed Danzig) is proud of its medieval crane on the waterfront. This crane was no doubt used to load lumber onto the ships bound for the Netherlands.

The Danzig Crane, known in German as the Krantor ("crane gate"), is one of the most iconic symbols of medieval Danzig. The first documented mention of a crane structure at this site dates to 1367, when a wooden tower and gate existed at the end of Szeroka Street on the Motława River. This early version was entirely wooden and served basic port functions. Note that is only 40 years before the cog ship was built.

The original wooden crane burned down in 1442. Between 1442 and 1444, a new, more advanced structure was built under the initiative of mayor Heinrich Vorrath. This version featured two massive brick towers flanking a wooden lifting mechanism, combining the roles of a port crane, city gate, and defensive fortification. It became the largest port crane in medieval Europe, with a lifting capacity of up to 4 tons to 36 feet or 2 tons to 90 feet It was powered by human-operated treadwheels (two pairs of 20 foot diameter wooden wheels walked inside by workers). [Human Hamsters!]

During Danzig's golden age as a key Hanseatic League city (full member from around 1361), the crane was essential for handling heavy cargo like timber, grain, and ship masts, as well as reloading goods in the bustling port. It also provided defense, with spaces for cannons and firearms.

The crane remained operational until the mid-19th century, though its importance waned with technological advances. By the 17th-19th centuries, parts were repurposed for residential and commercial use (e.g., workshops).

In 1945, during World War II, the crane was heavily damaged— the wooden parts burned completely, and about 60-80% of the brick structure was destroyed. Post-war reconstruction occurred from the late 1950s to 1960s, faithfully recreating the mechanism. In 1962, it was handed over to the Maritime Museum (now National Maritime Museum in Gdańsk). Major renovations occurred in the 2000s-2020s, with the latest completing in 2024. Now a branch of the National Maritime Museum, the crane houses exhibitions on 16th-18th century port life, navigation, trade, and shipbuilding, allowing visitors to see the impressive treadwheel mechanism up close.

Today, you can visit the crane that was used to load lumber bound for the Netherlands and shipbuilding. You would probably be seeing the crane that loaded the lumber used to fabricate the Svælget 2!

“Rush began using washing machines on stage during their 1981 tour in support of the album Moving Pictures, primarily as a visual and humorous solution to balance the stage setup after Geddy Lee stopped using traditional bass amplifiers.
Lee transitioned to plugging his bass directly into the PA system, which left a large empty space behind him, while guitarist Alex Lifeson retained his large amp stacks, creating an imbalance.
To address this, the band’s road crew initially placed random appliances behind Lee as a joke, and the idea was embraced by the band and fans alike.
The washing machines were not used for actual laundry during performances, but they were sometimes filled with T-shirts that were thrown into the audience, and roadies would occasionally add coins to keep them spinning as a playful gesture.

The washing machines were also used to create unique sound effects, particularly during the song “The Trees,” where their rhythmic thumping was modified and amplified to contribute to the song’s atmospheric texture.
The machines were sometimes mic’d up for added effect, and their presence became a signature element of Rush’s elaborate stage productions.
Over time, the band experimented with other appliances, such as rotisserie chicken ovens during the Snakes and Arrows tour, which were used to cook real chickens for the crew and even featured a roadie in a chicken suit basting the birds on stage.
The washing machines were later reintroduced during the R40 tour as part of a thematic “going backwards through the band’s history” segment.”

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.