On December 30, archaeologists made a shocking discovery while surveying the seabed to build a new area in Copenhagen. They found the wreckage of a ship named Szűt 2, identified as the largest cargo ship of the same type ever discovered in the world.
This ship has an overwhelming size compared to the standards of the time: nearly 28m long, 9m wide and up to 6m high. The appearance of such a "giant" in the early 15th century completely changed the previous view of the scale of maritime transport in the Middle Ages.
Unlike the usual ships that only specialize in light luxury goods, Szűt 2 was built around 1410 with the mission of transporting heavy and bulky goods. Its huge holds were designed to carry wood, bricks, salt and food to serve the construction and livelihood needs of booming cities in Northern Europe.
The salvage and analysis of the ship also revealed an astonishingly sophisticated international cooperation network.
The wood grain test results showed that the ship was a cross-border hybrid product: The ship's planks were made of imported oak wood from Pomerania (belonging to Poland today), while the load-bearing frame inside used Dutch wood. This proves that from 600 years ago, Europe formed a very methodical shipbuilding material and technology supply chain between countries.
A rare lucky thing is that the seabed sediment layer has enclosed and protected the shipwreck almost intact, especially the right side.
Archaeologists had to use underwater vacuum cleaners to gently remove the dust layer over many centuries. Thanks to that, for the first time in history, they found parts of the remaining sailline and mast systems.
This expensive detail helps scientists accurately decode how ancient people controlled giant ships with large sails over harsh seas, something that books have never fully recorded before.
