Sailing was a part of life for most men in Scandinavia between 750 CE and 1100 CE. At some point a man would seek adventure by going to sea, or going “a-viking.” He would feel safe on his ship. After all, Viking vessels were the most advanced of the day.
Viking ships sailed the seas over 1,000 years ago. So how do we know what they looked like? A few have been found buried in large mounds. It was a Viking custom (tradition) to drag ships onto the land for burying rich people. Their belongings were buried with the ships. These ships were later found in the British isles and near the fjords (coastal inlets) of Norway and Denmark. These areas are very wet, and those conditions helped to preserve the ships. People believed the buried ships would carry the dead to Viking heaven. The buried items let the person keep his or her lifestyle in the next world.
Now let’s go back in time and look at some of the most seaworthy vessels of 1,000 years ago.
