New details about mysterious shipwreck in Norway's largest lake

A shipwreck discovered during a search for discarded wartime munitions in Norway's Lake Mjøsa has been identified as a local ship from 700 years ago. But bad weather prevented researchers from learning more until late October 2024, when they returned to the ship.

The shipwreck, located at a depth of about 400m, was discovered in 2022 by an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) while mapping the lake for the Norwegian military.

NTNU maritime archaeologist Øyvind Ødegård said he and his colleagues explored the shipwreck for about an hour using a remotely operated underwater vehicle.

The shipwreck was found in 2022 in deep water at Norway's Lake Mjøsa. (Photo: NTNU).

Technical issues and bad weather prevented researchers from using underwater drones to collect wood samples for radiocarbon dating, so the exact age of the shipwreck remains unknown. However, Ødegård said some of the shipwreck's visible features suggest it was built around 1300 to 1700 AD.

Researchers believe the mysterious vessel is a 'føringsbåt' used to transport goods and passengers. Such boats were widely used on Norwegian lakes, as their flat bottoms made them unsuitable for open seas.

This particular ship was built with a vertical stern, it may have had a central rudder at the stern for steering, whereas Viking ships used a dedicated steering oar on one side.

The 10m-long shipwreck in Lake Mjøsa is covered in sediment. The wooden planks in the hull are relatively wide, a sign that they were cut with an axe, rather than a saw, in the shipyard.

Ødegård said the shipwreck now lies at the bottom of Lake Mjøsa, in deep, calm water, but the lake in that area has strong currents. In addition to repeatedly preventing researchers from accessing the wreck, the currents may have caused the ship to sink.