The 11 best photos from incredible medieval shipwreck discovery – biggest ever

A medieval cargo ship discovered more than 40ft underwater is believed to be the largest of its kind ever found. The unusually well-preserved “cog” – meaning a North Sea cargo vessel from the Middle Ages – was found buried beneath sand and silt at a depth of 13m (43ft).

The ship, named Svælget 2, lies on the seabed off Copenhagen, in the strait between Denmark and Sweden. The remarkable discovery was made during inspection works linked to the construction of Lynetteholmen, an artificial island being built for housing and flood protection. Measuring around 28m (92ft) long, 9m (30ft) wide and 6m (20ft) tall, the vessel could have carried up to 300 tonnes of cargo, experts say. Built in around 1410, Svælget 2 is the largest cog ever discovered, as reported by NeedToKnow.

In the 14th and 15th centuries, cogs undertook perilous journeys between what is now the Netherlands and the trading towns of the Baltic Sea, sailing around Denmark’s northernmost point. The vessels transported commodities such as salt, timber, bricks and food, helping to expand long-distance trade beyond luxury goods. Analysis based on tree rings shows Svælget 2 was built in the Netherlands using a mix of local timber and wood sourced from what is now north-western Poland. Its burial under sand helped keep it in exceptional condition.

There are extensive remains of a covered deck, where the crew could shelter, and a brick galley, where food could be cooked over an open fire. Underwater archaeologists also recovered wooden dishes, shoes, combs, rosary beads, bronze cooking pots and ceramic bowls from the wreck.

However, no trace of the cargo was found, suggesting it may have floated away as the ship sank. News of the find was revealed by the Viking Ship Museum in Roskilde, Denmark on December 28. Excavation leader Otto Uldum said: “The find is a milestone for maritime archaeology. “It is the largest cog we know of, and it gives us a unique opportunity to understand both the construction and life on board the biggest trading ships of the Middle Ages.”

He added: “We now know, undeniably, that cogs could be this large – that the ship type could be pushed to this extreme.”