Salme ships facts for kids
The Salme ships are two clinker-built ships of Scandinavian origin discovered in 2008 and 2010 near the village of Salme on the island of Saaremaa, Estonia. Both ships were used for ship burials here around AD 700–750 in the Nordic Iron Age and contained the remains of 41 warriors killed in battle, as well as 6 dogs, 2 hunting hawks and numerous weapons and other artifacts.
Discovery and excavation
The first ship was discovered in 2008 during earth removal for infrastructure construction. An archaeological expedition has been working on the site since 2008. The second ship was discovered in 2010. There is some indirect evidence pointing to the possibility that at least one more ship is yet to be discovered during future excavations.
Location
The ships were located near the ancient coastline, about 1.5 metres (5 ft) above water level. The location is 230 metres (250 yd) from the present coastline and 4 metres (13 ft) above present water level.
Description
Both Salme ships are clinker-built and archaeologists have estimated their time of construction to be AD 650–700, and the most likely site of construction in what is now Sweden. There are signs indicating they had been repaired and patched for decades before making their final voyage. One of the ships is 11.5 metres (38 ft) long and 2 metres (7 ft) wide, the second one more than 17 metres (56 ft) long and 3 metres (10 ft) wide. Outline of the keel of the larger vessel was preserved in humus, leading to the conclusion that it used a sail. In addition to the discovery of the keel, the irregular rows of strong rivets found on the bottom of the ship also indicate that the ship used sails. This makes it the oldest known vessel to use sails in the Baltic Sea region.
Human remains
Skeletal remains from at least 42 individuals were discovered in the two ships. Most of them belonged to 30–40 year old males who had been killed in battle. Isotope analysis of some of the teeth, combined with the design of the buried artifacts, suggest that the men came from central Sweden. The smaller ship contained the skeletal remains of 7 individuals. There were at least 36 individuals buried in four layers in the large ship. Analyses of haplogroup testing defined the individuals as having the Y-chromosome haplogroup R1a1a1b, N1a1a1a1a1a1a, I1-M253 and mtDNA haplogroup T2b5a, V, J2a1a1a2, H10e, K1c1h, W6a, and U3b1b. The DNA analysis showed that four of the men were brothers and they were related to a fifth man, perhaps an uncle.
Grave goods
Fragments of more than 40 swords of various types, remains of shields, spearheads and dozens of arrowheads were found in the burial. Most of them had been deliberately deformed, perhaps to discourage grave robbery.
Smaller objects included one small socketed axe, knives, whetstones, a bone comb with ornaments, a bear-claw necklace, and hundreds of gaming pieces made of whale bone and antler with six dice.
The skeletal remains of two ritually sacrificed dogs as well as hawks used for falconry were found in the burial.
