Viking Longships

Viking longships were long, narrow boats that the Norse people used for travel, trade and raids. They had a shallow hull, a single square sail and rows of oars. Their design let them travel across open seas and up shallow rivers.

Longships were built from wood, often oak, with overlapping planks. Some have been found in burial sites and are still studied today. Their designs were so good that Viking sailors reached Iceland, Greenland and North America.