Signs of a 15th-century ship’s galley found near Stockholm — CBS News

Marine archaeologists conducting new research on the sunken vessel Vrak 5 in Sweden, near Häringe Castle south of Stockholm, have discovered bricks that may indicate the location of the ship’s galley. The vessel is considered the oldest known warship found off the coasts of Sweden or Denmark, CBS News reports.

Researchers also found parts of the rigging. During the work, they use special pumps to remove seabed sediment and reveal elements of the ship’s structure. The expedition aims to document the wreck in greater detail, determine the vessel’s construction features and obtain new data about its sinking.

A vessel up to 45 meters long

Project leader Håkan Altrock, a maritime archaeologist at Sweden’s Museum of Wrecks, said that Vrak 5 was probably between 40 and 45 meters long when it was in service. The vessel’s remains were first discovered in the late 19th century. It is one of five ships on the bottom of the Landfjärden strait, while most other local wrecks date from the 17th and 18th centuries.

In February 2025, researchers dated Vrak 5 to the 1480s, while not ruling out a date in the 1460s. Altrock said it is not yet possible to determine with certainty whether the vessel belonged to Sweden or Denmark. The timber used for its construction came from an area that is now part of southeastern Sweden.

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Carvel planking technology

According to Altrock, Vrak 5 is the first known example in Scandinavia of a Baltic-region vessel built using carvel planking technology. Under this method, hull planks are laid edge to edge rather than overlapping, making it possible to build larger and stronger vessels needed to mount heavy guns.

As part of a separate project, archaeologists are also studying the crew’s diet. Maritime archaeology doctoral student Mathilda Jarl said that fish, meat and porridge were eaten aboard, with most dishes cooked in pots. The crew mainly drank beer, while people of higher status could drink wine.

The reason Vrak 5 sank is currently unknown. Altrock mentioned 19th-century rumors of a fire aboard and suggested that the ship may have sunk during the Danish attack on Häringe Castle in 1501, stressing that this is only one version.