Ancient boats in North-West Europe: the archaeology of water transport to AD 1500

355 Pages·2014·20.14 MB·English

by  McGrail, Sean

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Revievvs of Ancient Boats in North-vrest Europe:
"Tilis book is outstanding, of an importance in its field rare in any single publication"
Basil Greenhill, ANTIQUITY
"The result of this accumulated scholarship is truly a manual, indeed an encyclopaedic manual, of every
type of craft of N.W. Europe: log rafts, logboats, bark boats, wooden plank boats, bundle rafts and boats, hide
boats and float rafts, not only from their varied methods of construction, but also, as the author is a master
mariner, of their means of handling. Special sections are devoted to seamanship, pilotage and their
employment. The bibliography is particularly rich and the index is a model of perfection. . .. this book is,
7 from the very moment of its publication, a classic"
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0 Lucien Basch, THE 1l-1ARINER'S 1vfiRROR
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e "De tres nombreux tableaux de synthese, une abondante bibliographie (plus de 700 titres), un index des
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m sites (d'une grande utilite), un index general, viennent remarqueblement completer l'ouvrage de S. McGrail
ve qu'aucun archeologue ne peut desormais ignorer."
o Eric Rieth, NEPTUNL4.
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0 "This remarkable book is a compendium of information relating to early water transport of all types, up to
0 and including the later Middle Ages: their construction, pertormance, propulsion and navigation. . .. The
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: result is an encyclopedic technical handbook of enormous value"
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1 Andteli• Saunders, INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF 1HARITIAiE HISTORY
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] "The author of this work has a thoroughly well deserved reputation for exceptional expertise as a marine
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nt archaeologist. This book - extremely well researched, finely presented and most intelligently illustrated, and
o with a bibliography of nearly 700 books and articles - can only add to that reputation."
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o John de Courcy Ireland, PERITIA
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y "Es ist wegen der im Text enthaltenen Anmerkungen und des sehr komprimierten Inhalts wegen keine
t leichte, aber eine sehr lohnende Lektiire und ein wertwolles, wenn auch nicht billiges (sicher viele billige
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rs Schriften zum Thema ersetzendes) Nachschlagewerk und Handbuch."
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v A. G<ittlicher, DAS LOGBUCH
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"the chapters on seamanship, pilotage and navigation are masterly ... an incomparable source for the student"
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y Mm:garet Rule, ANTIQUARIES JOURNAL
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e "There is a substantial literature relating to ships of the Mediterranean, but less attention has been paid until
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a comparatively recently to the ships of the northern world, and there has been no major synthesis of the
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l results obtained in that region. That omission has been filled with the appearance of Ancient Boats in North
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w ftest Europe. This magisterial survey ... "
o BRITISH ARCHAEOLOGICAL NEHlS
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Longman Archaeology Series
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1 Already published:
t M. Aitken Sciertcc-based dating in archaeology
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] Richard Bradley The social foundatiom of prehistoric Britain: themes and 11ariatioHs in the archaeology of power
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t Sean McGrail Ancie11t Boats in North-vVest Europe: the archaeology of water trattsport to AD 1500
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o D. P. S. Peacock Pottery in the Roman !Vorld: an etlmoarchaeological approach
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o D. P. S. Peacock and D. F. Williams Amphorae C!lld the Roman economy: a11 introductory guide
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f R. F. Tylecote The early histmy q{ metallw;gy in Europe
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Sean McGrail
Formerly Chief Archaeologist, National Maritime Museum, Greenwich;
and Professor of Maritime Archaeology, University of Oxford
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8: in North-West Europe
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o The archaeology of water transport
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of to AD 1500
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~~ ~~o~~~~n~~;up
LONDON AND NEW YORK
First published 1987 by Addison Wesley Longman Group Limited
Reissued in paperback with corrections and additions, 1998
Published 2014 by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN
711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017, USA
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
Copyright© 1987, 1998, Taylor & Francis.
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1 The right of Seim McGrail to be identified as author of
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2 this Work has been asserted by him in accordance with
r the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
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m All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or uti
e lised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or
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o hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information
N storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.
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0 Notices
0 Knowledge and best practice in this field are constantly changing. As new research
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: and experience broaden our understanding, changes in research methods, profes
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1 sional practices, or medical treatment may become necessary.
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] a Practitioners and researchers must always rely on their own experience and knowl
o edge in evaluating and using any information, methods, compounds, or experi
nt ments described herein. In using such information or methods they should be
o mindful of their own safety and the safety of others, including parties for whom
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o they have a professional responsibility.
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of To the fullest extent of the law, neither the Publisher nor the authors, contributors,
y or editors, assume any liability for any injury and/ or damage to persons or prop
t erty as a matter of products liability, negligence or otherwise, or from any use or
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rs operation of any methods, products, instructions, or ideas contained in the
ve material herein.
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U ISBN 13: 978-0-582-31975-2 (pbk)
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y British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
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e A catalogue record for this book is available from
ad the British Library
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n Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication
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McGrail, Sean.
Ancient boats in NW Europe.
(Longman archaeology series)
Bibliography: p.
Includes index.
1. Shipbuilding - Europe - History. 2. Shipbuilding -
Europe, Northern - History. 3. Ships, Ancient - Europe.
4. Ships, Ancient - Europe, Northern. I. Title.
II. Series.
VMSS.M36 1986 623.8'21'0936 85-24022
ISBN 0--582-49267-X
Set in Linotron 202 9 I 11 pt Bembo
Contents
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ov List r:f figures rx
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5 List if tables xm
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0 Glossary xv
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8 Symbols used in the text x1x
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at Acknowled,~ements xxi
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to Priface to the paperback edition xxm
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T 1 Introduction 1
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it 2 Types of water transport 4
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e Classification 4
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ni Structural classes 7
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b 3 Stability and seaworthiness 12
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e Flotation and static stability 12
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a Seaworthiness 16
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n Appendix 3. 1 ·- Calculations for the Poole logboat 20
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4 Trees and wood 23
Use by man 23
Structures and growth 24
Selection and collection 25
Conversion for use 27
Degeneration and decay 35
Examination if excavated wood 37
5 Log rafts 44
Performance 51
vi Contents
Advantages and disadvantages 53
Log rcifts in early N W. Europe 53
6 Logboats 56
Hollowed logs 56
Archaeological documentation 57
Comparative evidence 58
Building a basic logboat 59
Alterations and additions to the basic logboat 66
7 Other features 75
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0 Early use in N W. Europe 85
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m 7 Bark boats 88
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v Distribution and function 88
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N variety and size 88
5 Construction 89
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0 Performance 93
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8: Advantages and disadvantages 93
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t Early use in N W. Europe 96
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nt 8 Wooden plank boats 98
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r How to build to the required shape? 98
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f How to incorporate longitudinal strength? 111
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y How to close the ends? 119
it How to fashion planking and make watertight? 126
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e How to obtain transverse strength? 141
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ni Which tools were used? 149
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[ Manpower and time? 158
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e 9 Bundle rafts and boats 163
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a Bundle rcifts 163
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nl Bundle boats 163
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o Function 164
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variety and size of rcifts 165
variety and size of boats 165
Construction 165
Performance 170
Advantages and disadvantages 171
Early use in N W. Europe 171
Contents vii
10 Hide boats and float rafts 173
Hide boats 173
Rafts of hide floats and related types 187
11 Assessment of performance 192
Methods C!.f assessment 192
Guidance from naval architecture 193
Speed potential 195
Logboat performance 202
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r 12 Propulsion, steering and anchoring 204
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b Propulsion 204
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e Steering 239
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o Anchors and other mooring devices 251
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0 13 Seamanship 258
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: Environmental changes 258
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1 Winds and their use 260
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] a A1'erage speeds on passage under sail 262
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t Currents, tides and tidal streams 264
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o Landing places 2 67
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T 14 Pilotage and navigation 275
of Non-instrumental navigation 276
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t Navigational capabilities up to c. eleventh century AD 282
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r Quantitive navigation 284
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U Riferences 286
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y Index of sites: a guide to further reading 301
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d Index 304
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List of figures
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o 1.1 The scope of Maritime Archaeology 1
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2.1 (a) Five stages in the shell sequence of building a medieval boat 6
5 2.1(b) The skeleton sequence: planking-up on an already erected framework 6
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0 2.2 Structural classification scheme for water transport - mainly boats 8
5 3.1 Body floating in equilibrium 13
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1 3.2 Hydrostatic curves for the Poole logboat 14
t 3.3 Diagram illustrating transverse stability 15
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t 3.5 A 1:10 reconstruction model of Ferriby boat 1 18
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o 4.1 Thole for the Greenwich foering replica 23
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o 4.2 The principal structural features of hardwood 25
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f 4.3(a, b, and c) Three early stages in converting a log into a plank for the Brigg 'raft' 29, 30
o 4.4(a and b) Plank orientation in a log 31
y 4.5 Recent methods of converting timber 32
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s 4.6 Wood splitting techniques with oak and pine 33
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e 4.7 The disrnanded port side strakes of a small clinker-built boat 33
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ni 4.8 A strake in preparation for the Greenwich Jaering replica 34
U 4.9 Sections through several cleat-units of the Brigg 'raft' 36
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y 4.10 Hardham 2 logboat in Worthing Museum 38
b 4.11 One end of the North Stoke logboat 39
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e 4.12 Vertical view of the Brigg 'raft' during excavation 40
d 4.13 Calculation of tangential and radial shrinkage factors 42
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o 5.1 Sixteenth-century log rafts of Ecuador 45
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n 5.2 A boat-shaped log raft from Lobito Bay, Angola 46
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o 5.3 Model of a log raft from Taiwan (Formosa) 47
D 5.4 A Chinese log raft with river homes 48
5.5 Chinese bamboo raft towed from the bed of a river 51
5.6 Detail of early seventeenth-century drawing by Spilbergen of Paita Harbour, Peru 52
5.7 Early log rafts 55
6.1 The sides of an aspen logboat being forced apart after heat treatment 56
6.2 Detail of an early nineteenth-century drawing by Paris of Valparaiso Harbour, Chile 57
6.3 One of the several parts which make up the bow extension of the Hasholme logboat
of c. 300BC 58
6.4 Finnish aspen logboat after expansion and side-extension 59
6.5 Paired logboats - barco de dormas from the River Miiio, Portugal 59
6.6 Recess for a double-dovetail clamp across a split in the Vaaler Moor logboat 65
6.7 Recess cut into the bottom of the Appleby logboat to receive a wooden clamp 66
6.8 The stern of Holme Pierrepont 3 66