700-year-old cargo ship discovered under Estonian street
Construction workers have uncovered the preserved ruins of a 700-year-old cargo ship under the streets of the Estonian capital of Tallinn.
The ship is thought to be a Hanseatic cog once owned by the Hanseatic League, a powerful merchant alliance, and was discovered in an area of the capital that used to be completely underwater.
The incredible remains of the medieval cargo ship are located five feet beneath street level and at the former mouth of the Härjapea River, a waterway that no longer exists.
According to local reports, construction work had begun at the site near the port of Tallinn for a new property. Construction workers were aware of one shipwreck discovered around 50m from the site, however the unexpected second ship was a complete surprise and maybe one of the best-preserved examples in the region ever found.
According to ERR, Estonia’s public broadcasting news agency, the wreck is around 24.5 metres long by 9.5 metres wide. Work has halted at the site as the ship is combed by archeologists and the shipwreck raised.
Artifacts including pieces of medieval leather shoes, tools and wool material used for packing have been located at the site. but experts hope to find even more as excavation continues.
