Medieval ship discovered in 1975

The Skuldevig ship or Lynæs ship, as it is now known, was found on 25th August 1975 off Lynæs in Roskilde Fjord. The ship is a relic from the High Middle Ages in the years 1100-1200, around 50 years after the end of the Viking Age. The ship is presumed to be a merchant ship built around the year 1140, and it was at least 24 metres long and 6 metres wide. The ship is a piece in the history of Roskilde Fjord’s significance to the trade routes of the Viking Age and the Middle Ages.

The Lynæs ship was probably headed for Roskilde and moored at Skuldevig, a settlement around one kilometre south of Lynæs. The area was heavily used during that time: Lynæs beach has probably functioned as a natural harbour during the Viking Age and up until the Early Middle Ages. Here, the visiting ships had access to drinking water from the spring Boes Kilde.

Literally, the Danish word Skuldevig means ”a bay where something is owed”, so this has probably been a place where duties were paid and cargos controlled. The hill at Sølager is presumed to have been a lookout point, as it has a good location for keeping an eye on ships coming and going in the fjord.

Today, the wreckage of the Lynæs ship can be seen at Nationalmuseet (the National Museum of Denmark) in Copenhagen. It has status as a treasure trove belonging to the Danish state, proof of its major culture-historical significance and value for Denmark.

Along the coast of Roskilde Fjord, you can also experience a range of other finds from the Stone Age, Bronze Age and Viking Age – read about what you can experience along the hiking and bicycling trail Fjordstien here at havneguide.dk.

Source: Local paper Halsnæs Lokalavis (website in Danish)

Picture: Halsnæs Kommune

Coordinates:  Latitude: 55.940770
Longitude: 11.871549