The Danish Warship, The Gribshunden: A Time Capsule from 1495

Lunchtime Lecture The Danish Warship, The Gribshunden: A Time Capsule from 1495 by Dr Brendan Foley, Dr Thom Richardson FSA, Kay Smith FSA, Guy Murray Wilson FSA The Danish warship Gribshunden was on a royal diplomatic mission to Sweden when it caught fire and sank off the southern Swedish coast in 1495. Only a small proportion of the ship has yet been excavated but it is already clear that it is a major time-capsule fifty years earlier than the Mary Rose. Analysis of hull timbers has indicated where and when the ship was constructed; finds of food and spices have shown the richness and variety of the royal diet; and recovered elements of the ship’s armament have answered some questions and raised others about how the ship was fought and why these weapons were aboard. What has been found to date originated from a very wide geographic area which speaks of the extent of Danish and European trade at the end of the 15th century. Some finds are unique to the ship and others are questioning old assumptions about the dating of technological developments in projectile weapons. Dr Foley will introduce the ship and discuss its construction and the general finds. Dr Richardson will speak about the armour finds, Kay Smith about the artillery and Guy Wilson about the hand-held arms, principally hand guns and crossbows. Dr Brendan Foley is an archaeologist with over 30 years of experience, mostly in maritime archaeology.