Summary

Wooden stem post of oak, for a clinker-built boat of Viking type, from a bog at Laig, Isle of Eigg, 885 - 1035 AD

Accession Number

X.IN 4

Other references

Original description

[IN 4 - 5] Two boat timbers found {with a third piece, not preserved}, in a bog at Laig, Isle of Eigg (PSAS XII, 1876-8, 594-5). (4) Wooden stem or stern post for a clinker-built boat carved from one piece of timber, curved in profile, Y-shaped in section with a central slot, the sides stepped and carved to accept six strakes and the keel (cf. one ship from Roskilde and a boat from Gokstad); 6' 4" long and 8.5" max. width. (5) Wooden roughout for a similar stem, only partly blocked out of the solid, the curved profile and three steps have been completed; 6'1" long, 9" max. width, now somewhat warped (original length 6'7"). [MoS description] Getting around. Ships and boats. Viking ships. (7) Boat stem, Eigg. 885 - 1035 AD. [Scran caption] This oak stem post for a boat is one of two found in peat at Laig on the isle of Eigg in the Inner Hebrides. Although it is in the tradition of Viking boatbuilding, we know little about native boatbuilding, and it might be for a native boat. The stem is made from a single piece of oak. The stepped edge was for fitting side timbers. The wood had probably been deliberately soaked to make it easier to work. The Vikings built their boats by riveting together overlapping timbers (clinker building), with a high prow and stern, and a keel. These ships had a shallow draught and could land on the beach. They were able to sail along coasts or over long distances. Date: Between 885 and 1035. Material: Wood (oak). Dimensions: Length: 1.93 metres. Reference - Grieg, Sigurd. Viking Antiquities in Scotland (=Viking Antiquities in Great Britain and Ireland, Part II, ed. by Haakon Shetelig). Oslo: H. Aschehoug & Co., 1940, pp 179-80. C. Angus note, 2014-03-10: 0.04 tonnes.

Associated person/people (e.g. excavator/former collection)

None

Discovery / field collection

Date of discovery

Not recorded

Method (e.g. excavation)

Not recorded

Place (i.e. location of discovery)

Laig, Eigg, Inverness-shire, Scotland, Northern Europe

Acquisition

Acquisition date

1878

Acquisition source (i.e. name of donor)

Not recorded

Acquisition source role (e.g. donor)

Not recorded

Image