Viking medieval drakars are one of the most recognizable symbols of the famous warlike people. The appearance of these vessels on the horizon caused the horror of the Christians of Europe for several centuries. The design of the Drakkars included a synthesis of the rich experience of the Scandinavian masters. These were the most practical and fastest ships of their time.
Dragon ship
The Viking dragons were named after mythical dragons. Their heads were carved on figures attached to the bow of these ships. Thanks to the recognizable appearance, the Scandinavian ships could be easily distinguished from the ships of the rest of Europeans. Dragons were installed on the nose only when approaching an enemy settlement, and if the Vikings sailed to their own harbor, then they removed the frightening monsters. Like all pagans, these sailors were extremely religious and superstitious. They believed that in a friendly port, the dragon angered good spirits.
Another characteristic attribute of the drakkar were numerous shields. The crew hung them on the sides of their vehicles. Viking Drakkars were clad with white shields if the team wanted to demonstrate their peacefulness. In this case, the sailors laid down their arms. This gesture was a prototype of the use of the white flag in later times.
Versatility
In the IX-XII centuries. Viking ships (dragrakars) were the most versatile in all of Europe. They could be used as transport, a military vessel, and means for researching distant sea borders. It was on the drakkara that the Scandinavians were the first to reach Iceland and Greenland. In addition, they discovered Vinland - North America.
As multifunctional ships, dragrakars appeared as a result of the evolution of their predecessors - snekkars. They differed in smaller sizes and carrying capacity. At the same time, there were exclusively merchant ships - Knorras. They had greater capacity, but were ineffective in the riverbed. All these shortcomings remained in the past when the drakars appeared. Viking wooden ships of a new type were perfect for traveling on fjords and rivers. That is why they were so fond of the Vikings during the war. With such transport, it was possible to suddenly penetrate deep into the territory of the devastated mainland country.
Create Drakkar
Medieval Viking ships (rooks and fights) were built from different species of wood. As a rule, pine, ash and oak, widely distributed in the Scandinavian forests, were used. Particularly carefully selected materials intended for the collection of frames and keel. In total, about 300 oak trunks and several thousand nails could take to create an average drakkar.
The wood processing process included several stages. Immediately after cutting, it was split several times in half using special wedges. Cutting was done with filigree accuracy. The master had to split the trunk exclusively along natural fibers. Next, the boards were moistened with water and kept on fire. The resulting materials were particularly flexible. They could be given different forms. With all this, the tools of the masters have never been too wide. It included an ax, drills, chisels and other small accessories. The Scandinavians also differed in that they did not recognize the saw and did not use it in the construction of ships.
Dimensions and casing
The sizes of the dragcars were different. The largest models could reach 18 meters in length. The size of the team also depended on the size. Each crew member was assigned his own place. The sailors slept on the benches under which their personal belongings were stored. The largest ships could carry up to 150 soldiers.
Drakkar is a technical miracle of the Vikings. Its uniqueness showed through everything. So, for the sheathing of their ships, the Scandinavians used a peculiar technique for their time. The boards were overlapped. They were fastened with rivets or nails. At the final stage of the construction of the ship, its skeleton caulked and resin. After this procedure, the design received additional stability, stability and speed. Thanks to their outstanding qualities, dragrakars could continue their journey even into the most terrible storms.
Control
The maneuverable Viking drakars were set in motion with the help of oars (on especially large ships there could be up to 35 pairs). Each crew member had to row. Teams changed in shifts, so the ship did not stop even on the longest journey. In addition, a reliable sail was used. He helped to accelerate and take advantage of the sea wind.
The Vikings, like no one, at one time were able to determine the weather favorable for travel. They also had methods of determining the proximity of the earth. For this, cages with birds were kept on ships. Periodically, the winged were released into the wild. If there was no land nearby, then they returned to the cells, not finding a place for another landing. If the team knew that it had gone astray, the ship could quickly change course. For this, the drakars were equipped with the most modern tiller at that time.
Viking ship evolution
The development of Scandinavian shipbuilding took place according to generally accepted laws: complex forms gradually replaced archaic ones. The first Viking ships did not have a sail and were driven exclusively by stroke. Such vessels did not require special design tricks. The freeboard of such models was characterized by low height. She was limited by the length of the stroke.
The early Drakars were small in size, which is why the steering wheel of such vehicles was small. One man could control it. However, with the increase in ships and the complexity of their design, the steering wheel became larger and heavier. To adjust it, they began to use a cable that was thrown across the planir. Gradually appeared and became universal steering support. By the end of the Viking era (in the XII century), ships became exclusively sailing. The mast mounting method has also changed: it received lifting modifications. She was lowered while passing the surf.
Finds of Sunken Drakkars
In the XX century, local fishermen of the Scandinavian coast several times accidentally stumbled upon the sunken drakars. Such findings are not only an amazing coincidence, but also a great success for archaeologists and historians. Some of the remains were raised to the surface and canned in museums.
One of the most high-profile finds of this kind was the case in 1920. Danish fishermen near the town of Skullelev found the remains of six dragrakars at once. They managed to be raised to the surface only 40 years later. Using the radiocarbon method, experts determined the age of the ships: they were laid around 1000. Despite the huge number of years under water and numerous destruction, these artifacts made it possible to get the most complete picture of the features of medieval Scandinavian shipbuilding.
Interesting Facts
Scandinavian dragrakars - wooden boxes that equipped with sails made from long sheep's hair. In this case, only wool of a rare North European breed was used. The natural layer of fat helped the sail maintain dryness even in the most unpleasant weather.
In order for the ship to gain better speed with a fair wind, the fabric was sewn exclusively in square or rectangular shape. A large sail for a drakkar could reach an area of 90 square meters. About two tons of wool was spent on its production (despite the fact that one sheep produced an average of one and a half kilograms of this valuable material per year).