Osprey New Vanguard 47 : Viking Longship

Viking longships evolved from the one-man canoe of the Scandinavian Stone Age, which developed into the clinker-built-ship (wood built) in around 200 BC. By the 4th century AD this had developed into a shape that would be recognised as 'Viking'. From this period onward the Viking Longship developed into the per-eminent raider and trader in the North Sea and the Baltic, though they also ventured as far afield as the Mediterranean, the North Atlantic and the rivers of modern-day Russia. Keith Durham details the technology behind these incredible vessels, utilising modern reconstructions, original sources, translations and surviving archaeological evidence to render a vivid picture of the vessels that dominated the seaways of Scandinavia, founded colonies on Iceland, Greenland and the New World and terrorised the coastlines of northern Europe. This book also covers the development of Norman vessels, including the mighty invasion fleet of William the Conqueror. Text by Keith Durham with illustrations by Steve Noon.

Contents

• Introduction
• Evolution of the Longship
• The Gokstad and Oseberg Ships
• How the Ships were Built
• The Longship
• The Knarr
• Coastal Traders
• Conclusion
• Bibliography
• Colour Plate Commentary
• Index