Longship

Longships, langskip or drakkar were boats used by the Scandinavians and Saxons for their raids on costal and inland settelments. They were the epitome of Scandinavian military power and ranked highly as valuable material possessions.

Related Topics:
Scandinavians - Saxons - Raid

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The longship was a long, narrow, light boat with shallow draft, with oars along almost the entire length of the boat. Later versions sported a rectangular sail on a single mast to augment the rowers especially during longer journeys. In combat the variabilily of wind power made rowers the chief means of propulsion. Nearly all longships were clinker built and waterproofed by moss drenched in tar. The ship's low mass and shallow keel allowed navigation in waters just 1 meter deep, rapid beaching when landing on beaches, and portage over land.

Related Topics:
Oars - Mast - Clinker built - Moss - Tar - Keel - Meter - Portage

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