Question

by Evan Hadingham

For three turbulent centuries, the glimpse of a square sail and dragon-headed prow on the horizon struck terror into the hearts of medieval Europeans. Indeed, the Viking Age, from A.D. 800-1100, was the age of the sleek, speedy longship. Without this crucial advance in ship technology, the Vikings would never have become a dominant force in medieval warfare, politics, and trade.

The drekar, or dragon-headed longships, were stealthy troop-carriers. They could cross the open oceans under sail and then switch to oars for lightning-fast hit-and-run attacks on undefended towns and monasteries. Far surpassing contemporary English or Frankish vessels in lightness and efficiency, longships carried Viking raiders from northern England to north Africa.

Viking expertise in naval craftsmanship soon led to the evolution of other types of ship. Among these were the knarr, or ocean-going cargo vessel, which facilitated far-flung trade networks and the colonization of Iceland, Greenland, and America. The knarr drew on similar design principles as the longship but was higher and wider in relation to its length and had only limited numbers of oars to assist with maneuvers in narrow channels. Cargo decks were installed fore and aft. What type of shipbuilding technique did the Vikings use? Briefly describe this technique and its effects.

Answer 1

They used clinker (lapstrake) construction: planks overlapped each other and were riveted (pegged) together, then caulked and tarred. That produced a light, strong but slightly flexible hull with a shallow draft and low weight, ideal for fast sailing and rowing, beaching on shores or running up rivers, and high seaworthiness—features that made their longships superb for raiding, trading, and colonizing.