Discover a unique shipwreck from the Hanseatic era

Wreck in mysterious Trave

During routine work on Trave, experts found the wreck of a Hanseatic-era cargo ship. Fritz Jürgens of Kiel University, who examined the remains with his team, says the find, which is around 400 years old, is unusual for the western Baltic region. To date, similar shipwrecks are known only from the Eastern Baltic region.

The ship is located at a depth of about eleven meters at the bottom of the traff. It should be 20-25 meters long, about 8 meters wide. The researchers also documented the remains of 150 barrels filled with quicklime. The material was probably used as a building material for the production of mortar. As Jürgens says in a video from Kiel University:The wood of the barrels is completely dried, but the lime has hardened under water. A tree examination of the ship’s timber showed that the ship dates from about 1650.

Debris and cargo in fragile condition. The ship’s shell invaded the remains, says archaeologist Jurgens. In addition, the river current damages the finds. In order to preserve the wreckage, they will soon be rescued.