Interim Report on Gribshunden (1495) Excavations: 2019–2021

Abstract

We present an interim archaeological report on the shipwreck of the Danish-Norwegian flagship Gribshunden. Built in 1485, extensively employed by King Hans as his floating castle, and ultimately lost in June 1495 en route to Kalmar, the ship carried people and material selected to further the political goal of re-unifying the Nordic region. Three field campaigns led by Lund University and Blekinge Museum since 2019 have delivered a compelling assemblage of mundane artefacts and high-status items, some without precedent, and all conveying new information beyond the events of the ship’s loss. Highlights include wooden casks, a milled tankard, a purse of silver coins, artillery and accoutrements, several crossbows and accessories, mail armour elements, and an assortment of exotic spices. Laboratory analyses of these and other finds allow new avenues of inquiry and provide deep insights into the late medieval world. This manuscript is derived from a conference presentation. It delivers an overview of recent scientific results, alerts readers to detailed studies already published, and offers waypoints to ongoing research threads.