Historian discovers earliest evidence of a Scottish ship sailing to North America
An entry in a late sixteenth-century register has revealed that a ship known as “William” of Aberdeen made a voyage to “the new fund land” (Newfoundland) in 1596
The Official Capital Ship of Yuan Dynasty and Yang Shu: Chinese Navigation in the Indian Ocean before Zheng He
In short, the Official Capital Ship policy is implemented from 1284‐1285 (6 months), 1298‐1303 (6 years),
and 1314‐1320 (7 years). It lasted 14 years in total over three periods with intervals in between.
Linking Seas and Lands in Medieval Geographic Thinking during the Crusades and the Discovery of the Atlantic World
If medieval writers understood the interplay between land and sea similar to modern research, what role did the complementary character of land and sea routes actually play in medieval geographic thinking?
The Newport Medieval Ship: The Construction and Sailing of a 15th Century Merchant Vessel in Western Europe
The remains of the medieval ship that was discovered during development work in Newport in South Wales in the United Kingdom in the summer of 2002.
Tudor Shipwreck Discovered in Southeastern England
Archaeologists are now excavating a recently-discovered shipwreck found in southeastern England, which is believed to date from the Tudor-era.
Voyagers in the Vault of Heaven: The Phenomenon of Ships in the Sky in Medieval Ireland and Beyond
This paper explores the phenomenon of ships voyaging in the sky. Such fantastical sightings are considered primarily in an early medieval Irish context, but evidence from places as widely separated in time and place as thirteenth-century England and eighteenth-century Canada is also addressed.
What we are learning about the Newport Medieval Ship
A team of maritime historians and archaeologists, led by academics at the University of Bristol, has published compelling new evidence about the remains of the largest and best-preserved late medieval ship ever discovered.
Large-scale whaling in northern Scandinavia may date back to 6th century
The intensive whaling that has pushed many species to the brink of extinction today may be several centuries older than previously assumed. This view is held by archaeologists from Uppsala and York whose findings are presented in the European Journal of Archaeology.
The Vasa: Gustav II Adolf’s Glorious and Doomed Warship
On the 10th of August 1628, the Vasa sank in Stockholm harbour, thus ending the career of the most powerful warship that Sweden had ever seen.
When the Atlantic Ocean had many islands: The mythical and miraculous places west of medieval Europe
Why medieval people did not accept that the vast space in the Atlantic Ocean between the Old World and the New could truly be an empty one.
A shipwreck and an 800-year-old ‘made in China’ label reveal lost history
Centuries ago, a ship sank in the Java Sea off the coast of Indonesia. The wooden hull disintegrated over time, leaving only a treasure trove of cargo.
The Mary Rose: A Visit to Henry VIII’s Flagship
If you find yourself in the English town of Portsmouth, Minjie Su suggests a visit to the Mary Rose – to see the remains of the famous 16th century ship.
Old Norse Ship Names and Ship Terms
The nautical language of the North Sea Germanic area is a very elaborate and rich terminology. This was no less true at the time I am dealing with, namely the period from the Viking Age up to about 1400 A.D.
Catalan commerce in the late Middle Ages
In this article I shall examine the maritime commercial activities of Catalans abroad.
Archaeological output in the museum setting: a case study – The Mary Rose
What is the ultimate output of this archaeological excavation? How are the results of the work communicated to a wider public in a way that is engaging for a 21st-century audience?
The character of commercial fishing in Icelandic waters in the fifteenth century
The character of commercial fishing in Icelandic waters in the fifteenth century By Mark Gardiner Cod and Herring: The Archaeology and History of Medieval…
DNA samples reveal Viking Age fish trade
It has been assumed that the Vikings were trading in cod, but so far solid evidence has been lacking. With new methods, it is possible to extract ancient DNA from fishbone remnants and this can provide some exciting new information!
Henry V and the crossing to France: reconstructing naval operations for the Agincourt campaign, 1415
On 11 August 1415 a large fleet slipped out of the Solent and headed to the Chef de Caux.
The Growth of London as a Port from Roman to Medieval Times
Rather than describing a history of the port of London, it seems more appropriate to say PORTS of London, since the locations, vessels, cargoes and waterfront facilities differed as much as the prevalent languages, cultures and currencies.
Surviving a Medieval Shipwreck
‘But then the wind came upon us from the mountains, and we could not handle the sails, and we were caught in the gale and the rain and thunder and lightning.’
Medieval Maritime Warfare
Charles Stanton uses an innovative and involving approach to describe this fascinating but neglected facet of European medieval history.
Iron Age boathouses in Arctic Norway viewed as multifunctional expressions of maritime cultural heritage
Boathouses have been in use in Norway for at least 2000 years and c. 850 structures pre-dating the 16th century have been recorded.
The Infamous Military Campaign of 1379
The destruction of an English fleet led by Sir John Arundel in 1379 is reported by most chroniclers to be an unfortunate accident. However, if you read what Thomas Walsingham has to say about what happened, you get a far more horrific version of events.
The Use of the Lead and Line by Early Navigators in the North Sea?
This paper draws attention to the lack of information as to how early North Sea sailors navigated, particularly during the one thousand year period that followed Roman times.
