NYDAM. 9 



were passed, in order to fasten the sides of the boat to the ribs. 

 The rowlocks are formed by a projecting horn of wood, under 

 which is an orifice, so that a rope, fastened to the horn and 

 passing through the orifice, leaves a space through which the 

 oar played. There appear to have been about fifty pairs of 

 oars, of which sixteen have already been discovered. The 

 bottom of the boat was covered by matting. I visited the 

 spot about a week after the boat had been discovered, but 

 was unable to see much of it, as it had been taken to pieces, 

 and the boards, etc., were covered over with straw and peat, 

 that they might dry slowly. In this manner, M. Engelhardt 

 hopes that they will perhaps, at least in part, retain their 

 original shape. The freight of the boat consisted of iron 

 axes, including a socketed celt with its handle, swords, 

 lances, knives, brooches, whetstones, wooden vessels, and, 

 oddly enough, two birch brooms, with many smaller articles. 

 Only those, however, have yet been found which remained 

 actually in the boat; and, as in sinking it turned partly 

 over on its side, no doubt many more articles will reward 

 the further explorations which M. Engelhardt proposes to 

 make. It is evident, that this ancient boat was sunk on 

 purpose, because there is a square hole about six inches 

 in diameter hewn out of the bottom; and it is probable, 

 that in some time of panic or danger the objects contained 

 in it were thus hidden by their owner, who was never able 

 to recover them. Even in recent times of disturbance, as, 

 for instance, in the beginning of this century, and in 1848, 

 many arms, ornaments, household utensils, etc., were so effec- 

 tually hidden in the lakes and peat mosses, that they could 

 never be found again. Much interest is added to this vessel 

 and its contents, by the fact, that we can fix almost their 

 exact date. The boat lies, as I have already mentioned, 

 within a few yards of the spot where the previous discoveries 

 at Nydam were made, and as all the arms and ornaments 



