Poole Logboat facts for kids
The Poole Logboat is a very old boat carved from just one oak tree trunk. It was found in the town of Poole, Dorset, England. This amazing boat is more than 2,200 years old!
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What is a Logboat?
A logboat is one of the oldest types of boats. It is made by hollowing out a single tree trunk. People used logboats for thousands of years to travel on water. They were great for fishing, trading, and moving around rivers or calm seas. The Poole Logboat is a fantastic example of how people built boats long ago.
How Old is the Poole Logboat?
Scientists used a method called carbon dating to find out the boat's age. This method looks at tiny bits of carbon in old materials. It helps them guess how long ago something was alive. For the Poole Logboat, carbon dating showed it was built around 200 to 300 BCE. This means it was used during a time called the Iron Age. The Iron Age was a period when people started using iron to make tools and weapons.
Where Was the Boat Found?
The Poole Logboat was discovered in 1964. Workers were digging in Poole Harbour when they found it. Poole Harbour is a large natural harbour in Dorset, England. It is a busy place even today. The boat was likely based near Green Island in the harbour. This island would have been a good spot for people to live and launch their boats.
What is Special About This Boat?
The Poole Logboat is quite large. It is about 10 metres (33 ft) long, which is like three cars lined up! It was big enough to carry about 18 people. Imagine a whole class of students fitting into one boat made from a tree! This shows how skilled the people of the Iron Age were at building things.
What Happened After It Was Found?
When the boat was first found, archaeologists had a big challenge. They needed to keep the ancient wood from falling apart. For 30 years, the boat was kept underwater! This stopped the wood from drying out too quickly and cracking.
Later, experts from the York Archaeological Trust carefully restored the boat. This was a long process. They slowly dried the boat for two years to make sure it was stable. Now, you can see this amazing piece of history at the Poole Museum. It helps us learn about how people lived and traveled thousands of years ago.
