- During construction in Tallinn, an 80-foot-long ship from the 13th century was unveiled as reported by Express.
- It was constructed with 24-metre long giant oak logs and sealed with animal hair and tar.
- It eventually grew into a virtual monopoly over maritime trade in the Baltic, with the cog being one of the main ships it used.
During construction in Tallinn, an 80-foot-long ship from the 13th century was unveiled as reported by Express.
Archaeological artefacts
The Hanseatic League, a mediaeval economic and defence trade union that spanned seven modern-day countries in central and northern Europe, used the vessel. The League even went to war with Denmark, sacking Copenhagen off the coast of Copenhagen and compelling King Valdemar IV to give up 15% of Danish trade revenues in a peace pact. The Bremen Cog, discovered in Germany in 1962, is one of the most famous archaeological artefacts associated with the Hanseatic League.
The Estonian find, however, is equally as amazing, according to archaeologist Mihkel Tammet.
“It’s pretty good compared to the Bremen Cog,” he stated.
82 years older
“The ship is 24 metres long and nine metres wide.”
“Excavations are ongoing and we hope to find more.”
Experts have now worked out through analysis of the wood that the wreck is from 1298, making it 82 years older than the Bremen Cog.
This ship was discovered 1.5 metres underground, close to the harbour in the capital city.
It was constructed with 24-metre long giant oak logs and sealed with animal hair and tar.
This is also not too far from what used to be the mouth of the Härjapea River.
Trade flourishing
He said: “This area was still under the sea in the 18th century.
800 years ago we had almost two metres of water here.”
“There were probably shallower underwater sand ridges which were hard to map because they changed their shape and location because of ice drifts and storms.
It sank close to the Härjapea river mouth.”
“Unfortunately the size and restricted conditions of construction do not let us move the ship away in one part.”
The Hanseatic League, also called Hansa, was originally formed in north German towns and German merchant communities overseas to help trade flourish.
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Source: Express
