Ship Glossary Article

Life-sized Viking Model Ships

Ever since the discovery of Viking ships were first dug out of
burial mounds in Scandinavia, Viking model ships have been built
as replicas of these remarkable sailing vessels. Viking model
ships can be built as full size vessels, and sometimes even as
half-size craft. Either way, the building and then subsequent
launching of them has inspired dreams and met with rather large
success.

Because the Viking ships exhumed from their sacred burial mounds
remain in such good shape, it is fairly simple to copy plans off
of them for Viking model ships. They were buried in peat and
clay, which prevented the wood from rotting out too badly, and
which preserved the structures of the ships very well. The most
famous Viking ships, and the ships from which most Viking model
ships are patterned, are Gokstad and Oseberg. Also found with
the ships were well-preserved Viking artifacts that gave great
insight into the way the Vikings lived their lives. Indeed, like
other pagans of the Middle Ages, the Vikings buried their dead
with their worldly possessions. This explains why the ships were
sometimes buried as well.

Viking model ships first began being built in the mid-1800s.
Even then they were successfully sailed. Now, there are some
life-sized models that scientists sail to get an idea of how the
Vikings lived and how they conquered the waves. While most
people are familiar with the long ships (the ships of war that
could be beached), there were also merchant ships known as knarr
which were for longer voyages (and what, likely, Eric the Red
sailed in when he crossed the Atlantic to North America). Models
have been made of each of these kinds of ships, and many of them
work quite well.

Building Viking model ships can be quite daunting if one wishes
to create a true-to-life model. This is because Viking ships are
sophisticated and are made as clinker-built vessels, meaning
that each hull plank overlaps the plank next to it. When sealed
with tar (as the Vikings sealed their vessels), this resulted in
a rather water tight construction. About five Viking ships have
been found, and these form the basis for very lively
speculation, as well as providing plans and blueprints for those
who wish to build life-size Viking model ships. For those who
prefer just to look, there are very many societies and museums
around the world that provide a look at these worthy forms of
sea craft.