598 



REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1891. 



provided with a single row of rowers on each side of tlie slii}). One 

 exception, however, is to be noted to this. It is stated ' tliat in 1200 

 "Erling- Steinvteg, Reidar the Messenger, and Earl niiH])pus, of Tuns- 

 berg, built a ship which was much larger than any jjieviously con- 

 structed in iSTorway. The shii) had, wliat neither before or since has 

 been known here, two tiers of holes {hdbora) for the oars between 

 both wells; the oars of the upper rank were 20 (now 15) ells long (0.41 

 meters=31.37 feet) and a man must be one of the tallest who, standing 

 on the frames could, with his broadax, touch the under side of the 

 flooring." Each half division was reckoned to accommodate eight men. 



Fig. no. 



EUDDEK OK GOKSTAD SHIP. 



(Reprodiweil rrnni N. Niuohiyseii. " T.^mgskibet fra 

 Ciikstud.") 



Fig. 117. 



Rudder of Mydam Boat. 



( Rejjvnduceil frniii 0. Enselhardt, ' Den],, ark 

 Karly Iron Age.") 



Launchhu/. — In getting the shii) ready for the sea it was launched by 

 means of rollers,- which appear to have formed part of the equii)ment and 

 which also were used in dragging the ship ashore as wasgeuerally done 

 at night if satisfactory landing could l)e had;^ if not, the ship would 

 remain close to shore and be connected with it by means of a gangway.* 

 The sail was then lowered and formed a tent under whicli the men slept.-"* 



It has been suggested that the ship received a name when being 

 launched ; there appears, liowever, to be no positive jiroof of such act in 

 earlier days unless an exception is made in favor of the '' Long iSerpent,"'' 

 Subserpient to the introduction of Christianity in the North, frequent 

 mention is made of naming a ship at launching.'' 



Biu'iah in ships. — With the exception of the boat found in Nydam 



1 Konungssognr, p. 223. 



2 Ragiiar L(>(lol)i()k,s Saga, c. ix; Haralcl Hardradi Saga, c. Ixii ; Olaf Trygvason Saga, 

 c. xvii ; St. Olaf's Saga, c. 24, 115, 148; Egil's Saga, c. 19, 52, 72; P^agrslduna Saga, c. 42. 



■'Olaf Trygvason Saga, c. 17. 



■•Yugliuga Saga, c. 5.3; Harald Haarfager Saga, c. 37; Egil's Saga, c. 27. 



•'Svarfdaile Saga, e. 4; St. Olaf Saga, c. 29, 143; Egil's Saga, c. 22, 27; Harald Har- 

 dradi Saga, c. 4, 35; Yuglinga Saga, c. 53; Olaf Trygvason Saga, c. 20; Flateyarbok, i. 



''• Nicolaysen: Langskibet fra Gokstad, p. 17. 



'^ Harald Hardradi Saga, c. 62; Flateyarbok, iii, p. 196, 197; Kouuugssogur (cit. 

 by Nicolayseu), p. 425, 426. 



