Archaeologists discover the lost 17th century warship ‘Äpplet’ in Sweden | Smart news
The appleport side by lower gun deck
Courtesy of Jim Hansson, Wreck / SMTM
Swedish naval archaeologists have discovered the long-lost sister ship Vasaa warship from the 17th century which is considered to be one of the Swedish navy’s greatest achievements that sank shortly after setting sail, pr. statement from The Swedish Wreck Museum.
With the help of the Swedish navy, the museum’s archaeologists investigated a strait at Vaxholm, an island near Stockholm, where they first found the shipwreck last winter.
“Our pulses raced when we saw how similar the wreckage was Vasa“, says Jim Hanson, a maritime archaeologist at the museum, said in the statement. “Both the construction and the powerful dimensions seemed very familiar. The hope of finding one of Vasas sister ships ignited within us.”
Using the ship’s technical details as well as wood samples and measurement data, the team of archaeologists confirmed that the shipwreck was The appleVasas sister ship, according to the museum.
Unlike Vasa, as dropped within 20 minutes of setting sail in 1628, The apple (meaning “the apple”) was launched in 1629 and remained in service for about 30 years. In 1659, after an inspection concluded that the ship was not worth repairing, officials deliberately sunk it.
Shipbuilder Hein Jacobsson built both ships around the same time. But also before Vasa sailed, Jacobsson was concerned that it was too narrow and likely unstable. With that in mind, he tried to correct these flaws The apple.
Today, the apple’s sister ship Vasa on display at the Vasa Museum in Stockholm. Jonathan Nackstrand/AFP via Getty Images
Named after the house of Vasa, the then Swedish royal family, the 225-foot ship was fitted with 64 cannons, 3 masts and over 700 hand-carved wooden sculptures and ornaments. Many of the guns sat on the ship’s upper deck, giving the ship a lower center of gravity and ultimately hastening its demise. It sank on its maiden voyage off Beckholmen, a small island in central Stockholm, and claimed around 30 lives. In 1961, a salvage operation recovered Vasa. Today it is is exhibited at The Vasa Museum in Stockholm.
In 2019, archaeologists at the Wreck Museum thought they had found The apple after discovering two other shipwrecks at Vaxholm. But investigations soon showed that they were Apollo and that Mariaboth from 1648. Nevertheless, the archaeologists continued the search until their successful discovery last year.
“This will help us understand how the great warships evolved, from the unstable Vasa to seaworthy giants who could control the Baltic Sea – a decisive factor for Sweden’s emergence as a great power in the 17th century,” says Patrik Höglunda maritime archaeologist at the museum, in the statement.
The apple sailed towards Germany when Sweden joined Thirty Years’ War, with around 1,000 men. The ship was also part of a project by the Swedish navy dating back to the mid-16th century to block a narrow strait off Vaxholm: in 1659 officials sunk it – along with nine other large Swedish ships – to serve as part of an underwater barrier. which would prevent enemies from getting to Stockholm by sea.
Hansson says the ship’s discovery will allow experts to analyze differences between the designs of the ship Vasa and The apple and get a better understanding of how the Swedish shipbuilding industry has developed. “The find is also valuable for those who want to discover a new piece of exciting history through the old ship,” he adds. “The apple is part of our cultural heritage so we arrange a lecture at the museum where we tell more about the visitors The apple.”
Scientists will make a 3D image of The apple wreckage, says Höglund CNNs Hafsa Khalil. Since it is in a protected military area, the team has no plans to restore it.
Recommended videos