A Viking longship is a type of narrow, shallow drafted wooden warship built by Scandinavian seafarers from roughly the eighth through eleventh centuries, propelled by a combination of a single square sail and rows of oars along both sides of the hull. Its light, flexible clinker built construction and shallow draft allowed Viking crews to sail open ocean waters and also navigate rivers far inland, supporting the raiding, trading and exploration voyages associated with the Viking Age.
Facts
YearApproximate: 793 marks the conventional start of the Viking Age (the raid on Lindisfarne); related Scandinavian ship types are attested from the 4th century AD onward. SignificanceThe longship was purpose built by the Norse for raiding, warfare, exploration and trade, giving Viking seafarers exceptional range and speed. 1 Open Questions
Manufacturer or BuilderBuilt by Norse and surrounding Germanic peoples of Scandinavia, not by a single shipyard or maker. 1 No single manufacturer: built by Norse and related Germanic shipwrights across the Viking Age, not one maker. Connections
Sources
1. Wikipedia: Longship
WikipediaLead section, sentence naming who used and built the type
used by the Norse and surrounding Germanic tribes from at least the 4th century AD and throughout the Viking Age
Lead section, sentence on era of use
used by the Norse and surrounding Germanic tribes from at least the 4th century AD and throughout the Viking Age
Lead section, sentence on purpose and invention
It is thought that the Norse specifically invented the design for Viking usage, which included raiding and warfare, exploration and commerce.
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