SOME PREHISTORIC VESSELS. 



83 



has been supposed that they were the shields which the soldiers used 

 in action, and which were hung there for the sake of convenience. It 

 is now evident that they had no purpose but ornament, as they were 

 of wood, not much thicker than pasteboard, and could not resist a 

 sword-thrust that was given with any force. 



A large block of oak, solidly fixed in the bottom at the middle of 

 the vessel, had a square hole for the mast ; and some circumstances 

 indicated that the mast could be laid down. A few pieces of rope, 

 and some rags of a woolen stuff, probably the sail, were also found. 



The funeral-chamber was built on one side of the tumulus, with 

 strong planks and beams set obliquely one against another, the whole 

 occupying a space of two or three square metres. This was opened, 

 with the expectation of finding arms or precious objects, but the ex- 

 plorers were disappointed. The tomb had probably been violated at 

 some previous epoch. A few threads of a kind of brocade, a few parts 

 of bridles and saddles, some articles in bronze, silver, and lead, and 

 metallic buttons, on one of which was artistically represented a knight 

 letting down his lance, were all that could be found here. The bones 

 of a horse and of two or three huntinsc-dosrs were discovered in the 

 sides of the chamber. 



A large copper vessel, supposed to be the kettle of the ship, was 

 found in the forward part of the boat. It had been hammered out 

 of a single sheet of copper, and afforded satisfactory evidence of the 

 industrial skill of those remote times. Another vessel, of iron, with 

 ears and a bail, was found, with some wooden bowls near it. It was 

 at first intended to remove the whole of the ship to the Museum of 

 Christiania, and JVIr. Treshan, a large proprietor of the neighborhood, 



Fia. 2. Attempted Restoration op an Ancient Scandinavian Vessel. 



offered to pay the expense of the removal. The persons having the 

 matter in charge, however, decided, after a careful examination and 

 consideration of the subject by an expert, that it would be impracti- 



