The Hjortspring Boat was discovered in 1921 in the Hjortspring Bog on the island of Als, southern Denmark. It is considered the oldest archaeological evidence of naval construction found in Scandinavia.
Dating back to around 350 BCE, the boat measures over 19 meters (62 feet) in overall length and 2 meters (6.5 feet) in beam. The presence of ten thwarts along the vessel, each likely seating two people, suggests it could carry around 20 men and had a total loaded weight of approximately 2,500 kilograms (5,512 pounds).
The boat resembles a large canoe, similar to the numerous Bronze Age rock carvings of ships found throughout Scandinavia, such as those in Tanum, Sweden.

Although the exact location of its construction is unknown, it was likely assembled along the Baltic shores before being deliberately sunk and buried in what was then a lake, as a votive offering.
Its discovery began accidentally in the 1880s during peat extraction, with the unearthing of a piece of wood and a spearhead. However, it wasn’t until 1920, after World War I, that the local museum curator reported it to the National Museum of Denmark, prompting successful archaeological excavations led by Gustav Rosenberg between 1921 and 1922.
Despite the boat’s poor condition, the team achieved a faithful reconstruction, now on display at the National Museum of Denmark.

The boat is constructed from limewood planks sewn together with lime bark, spruce roots, or rawhide cords. It features a curved central plank forming the keel, reinforced by two planks on each side.
The planks are fastened with cords threaded through drilled holes, with slight overlaps between them. Inside, the structure is reinforced with thin boards secured to the hull with cords in carved cleats, showcasing remarkable craftsmanship.
At the ends, wooden extensions curve into two branches acting as wave breakers and stabilizers. The construction is notably lightweight, with planks only 3 centimeters (1.2 inches) thick and ribs made from hazel branches. Despite this, the boat is highly flexible, as the ribs are not rigidly attached. This design results in a vessel that adapts to waves.

The boat was propelled by oars, with rudders at both ends for steering. Symmetrical and bidirectional, it could reverse direction without turning, a decisive advantage in combat. The construction techniques used in the Hjortspring Boat are much older than the vessel itself and influenced Viking shipbuilding.
When discovered, the boat contained a large cache of weapons and armor, including 131 Celtic shields, 33 shield bosses (metal pieces at the shield’s center), 138 iron spearheads, 31 spear tips made of bone or antler, 11 single-edged iron swords, remains of chainmail, and several small wooden containers possibly used to hold war paint.
Two swords had been intentionally bent, a practice associated with rituals. The largest spearhead measures 43.5 centimeters (17 inches). Additionally, bowls, blacksmith tools, and everyday objects were found.

These weapons are the earliest evidence of maritime warriors and organized military forces in Denmark. According to the National Museum of Denmark, around 350 BCE, a hostile army of 80 to 100 warriors attacked the island of Als.
The warriors arrived on four or five ships. The invaders attacked but lost. The victors sacrificed the weapons, shields, tools, and one of the enemy boats in the bog as thanks for their victory. We do not know where the foreign warriors came from.
The army represented by the Hjortspring discovery included 10 to 12 officers equipped with swords and possibly chainmail armor, as well as around 80 foot soldiers armed with spears, lances, and shields. No two swords or spears are identical; these were the personal weapons of the warriors. At Hjortspring, we find the earliest evidence of a large combat unit—a true army.

The presence of a horse, a lamb, a calf, and two dismembered dogs at the bottom of the boat reinforces the idea of a votive offering, akin to other burials of the time that contained sacrificed animals, and occasionally humans.
In 1991, an exact replica of the Hjortspring Boat was built and launched in 1999 under the name Tilia (the Latin name for limewood, the material of the original boat).
This replica allowed for testing of the Hjortspring Boat’s impressive navigational qualities. Factors such as acceleration, speed, stopping distance, turning radius, and stability were studied. It was found to reach speeds of around 8 knots.
This article was first published on our Spanish Edition on September 14, 2023: El barco de Hjortspring, los celtas que atacaron una isla danesa en 350 a.C. y acabaron como ofrenda votiva
SOURCES
Museo Nacional de Dinamarca, The Hjortspring Boat
Klavs Randsborg, Hjortspring : warfare and sacrifice in early Europe
Christer Westerdahl, Sewn boats of the North: A preliminary catalogue with introductory comments
Axel Nelson, Fartyg Före Vikingatiden
Wikipedia, Barco de Hjortspring
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