Passenger vessel; Boat; Hjortspring Boat

Scale 1: 12. A model of the Hjortspring boat made entirely in wood with varnished exterior. The model is built with very wide thin planks that are sewn together with cord. The bow and stern are made up of carved elements which and have been sewn to the main hull planks with diagonal joins. The keel extends at the bow and stern and curves upwards but is not attached to the hull and instead projects away from it.

The decorative bow and stern carvings are attached to the keel extensions by near vertical posts. The frames of the boat are lashed to cleats carved out of the inside surface of the planks. There are nine thwarts; the foremost and aft most ones appear to be structural while the others depict thwarts designed to carry two people. The middle thwart is reinforced with three posts and a transverse timber. There is a bailer at the bow tied to the bottom of the boat. There are eight short paddles with rectangular blades and a further four paddles with circular blades, all of which are secured to the bottom and sides of the boat.

The model is a representation of an archaeological find named the Hjortspring boat which can be seen on display at the National Museum in Copenhagen. It was the earliest Scandinavian plank boat found in Denmark, it has been dated to 400-300 BC.
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