Viking Ships

Watch the video and answer these questions:

1. Why was the discovery of the Skuldelev ships significant for historians?

2. List and describe the advanced techniques used by the Vikings in shipbuilding.

3. How and why did archeologists/historians use experimental archaeology after the discovery of the Viking long ships?

4. According to the Museum Curator, being on board the Viking long ship is synonymous with what? Why does he come up with this theory?

The Vikings also built Knorr (merchant ships) to transport goods between cities and countries. There were large and small merchant ships. Large merchant ships were used to carry heavy loads. They weren’t as long as longships, but they were very wide. The hulls of the large merchant ships were deep so that they could carry a lot of goods, and these ships sailed the open seas. Smaller merchant ships were used to sail short distances and down rivers.

The most common type of Viking watercraft were small boats. These boats were used for fishing and to carry people and goods between villages.

Answer the following questions based on the information above

1. List the three different types of ships/boats that the Vikings built.

2. Describe the features of a Viking long-ship

3. Describe the features of a Viking merchant ship.

4. Outline the purpose of a watercraft.