At a Glance
- A 92-foot cog found off Copenhagen is the largest of its kind ever documented
- The 300-ton vessel carried everyday goods, not luxuries, across Northern Europe
- Pomeranian timber and Dutch craftsmanship reveal continent-wide supply chains
- Why it matters: It proves medieval trade was far more organized and industrial than previously imagined
Danish maritime archaeologists have hauled up the colossal remains of a 1410-era merchant ship that rewrites what we know about medieval commerce. The vessel, dubbed Svaelget 2, stretches 28 meters long and could carry 300 tons of cargo-making it the world’s largest known cog, the workhorse of Northern European trade.
A Ship Built for Bulk Business
Unlike earlier Viking ships that relied on luxury items for profit, this floating giant moved salt, timber, bricks, and basic food in bulk. Its cavernous hold and robust design let merchants slash shipping costs and flood markets with common goods.
Key specs:
- Length: 28 meters
- Height: 6 meters
- Width: 9 meters
- Cargo capacity: 300 tons
- Construction date: circa 1410
Timber analysis shows Pomeranian planks traveled west to the Netherlands, where Dutch shipwrights added locally sourced frames. The cross-border supply chain highlights a structured, predictable trade network spanning modern Poland, Germany, and the Netherlands.
Life Aboard a Floating Warehouse
Exceptional preservation gives an intimate look at life on board. A brick-built galley-the first ever found in Danish waters-allowed crews to cook hot meals at sea using open fires. Nearby lay ceramic bowls, bronze pots, and the remains of fish and meat.
Personal items recovered include:
- Leather shoes
- Painted wooden dishes
- Hair combs
- Rosary beads
These objects, according to excavation leader Otto Uldum of the Viking Ship Museum, show “the crew brought everyday items with them. They transferred their life on land to life at sea.”
Archaeological Firsts
The wreck confirms features long seen in medieval illustrations but never proven: high castles-raised platforms at bow and stern. A large section of the sterncastle, a covered deck sheltering the crew, survived intact.
> “We have plenty of drawings of castles, but they have never been found because usually only the bottom of the ship survives. This time we have the archaeological proof,” Uldum said.
Rigging elements also survived, revealing how sailors controlled sails and secured masts on vessels of this scale.
The Missing Cargo Mystery
Despite the ship’s size and preservation, no cargo has been identified. The hold lacked a protective cover, so goods may have drifted away as the ship sank. The absence of ballast suggests the vessel was fully laden with heavy merchandise when it went down.
Archaeologists found no weapons or military gear, reinforcing its role as a pure merchant carrier.
A Revolution in Trade Scale
Cogs like Svaelget 2 revolutionized Northern European trade by slashing transport costs. A small crew could sail these giants from the Netherlands, around Denmark’s Skagen peninsula, through the Øresund strait, and into Baltic ports.
> “Shipbuilders went as big as possible to transport bulky cargo-salt, timber, bricks or basic food items,” Uldum explained. “The cog revolutionised trade in Northern Europe. It made it possible to transport goods on a scale never seen before.”
The find, reported by Natalie A. Brooks for News Of Fort Worth, underpins a continent-wide system where merchants knew markets awaited their goods. Financing, building, and crewing such vessels required coordinated societal effort.
> “A ship with such a large cargo capacity is part of a structured system where merchants knew there was a market for the goods they carried,” Uldum said. “It required a society that could finance, build and equip these enormous ships.”
Key Takeaways
- Size matters: The 28-meter cog sets a new benchmark for medieval merchant vessels
- Bulk trade: Everyday commodities, not luxuries, fueled economic growth
- Pan-European supply chains: Pomeranian timber and Dutch expertise combined in one hull
- Crew comfort: Brick galleys and covered decks mark a leap beyond Viking-era open ships
- Trade infrastructure: The vessel’s sheer scale proves systematic, predictable commerce across Northern Europe
