Shipbuilding, Anglo-Saxon style An ambitious reconstruction project connects the region’s maritime heritage with a modern-day sense of discovery
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ith a cast of A-listers and the beautiful Suffolk landscape as its backdrop, it’s no wonder that Netflix hit The Dig won numerous plaudits within weeks of its release. The true ‘star’ of the movie, however – an Anglo-Saxon King’s burial ship – never actually appears on-screen. It couldn’t, because after laying hidden underground in the Sutton Hoo royal burial ground since the 7th century, all that remained when it was discovered in 1939 was the imprint it had left in the sand. But now, from this imprint plus British Museum archives, archaeological records, 3D computer modelling and other techniques, experts have been able to create scale models of how the King’s ship would have looked, and to understand how it was built. And all this has enabled work to begin on a full-size 90ft replica which, once complete, will slip once more into the water. It’s a venture that brings together archaeologists, historians, experts in construction and shipbuilding and many other skilled volunteers, and has given birth to The Sutton Hoo
Ship’s Company (SHSC). And it’s fitting that the work of this registered charity is taking place at The Longshed in Woodbridge – a town with a rich boatbuilding heritage, directly across the River Deben from the original ship’s burial site. The work is not without complications, however. When it was first excavated, for example, the ship was lying a few degrees off horizontal, which made the shape in the sand asymmetrical. And, because of the way in which it was buried, the ship was ‘broken backed’ rather than having a natural curve to the keel. Reconstructing the ship will take about three years and involve many steps, from turning computer specifications into workable plans, to finally finishing the oars that will be used to row it down the River Deben. The team are sticking to authentic materials and methods as much as possible, so the ship is to be built mainly from green oak – for the keel a piece 50ft long and around 12 x 8inches round is required. This is followed by shaping the stem and the stern of the boat from oak, work that includes nine planks »
TheCoastalGuide 2021
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