It is hard to imagine Viking Age seafaring without the clinker-built longships with their large and efficient woollen sails. The sail was probably introduced into Nordic shipbuilding in the 8th century and was an important technological innovation that made it possible to build broader ships like the Oseberg and Gokstad ships.
A longship required a sail of around 120m², while a trading ship needed roughly 45m². The sail of the Oseberg ship was about 80m², and the Gokstad ship’s sail around 130m². For the largest Viking fleets, such as the fleet of King Cnut the Great in the early 11th century, the total requirement could be up to 1 million square metres of sailcloth. Knowing that it took approximately 3.5 person-years to produce a 150m² sail, we can understand that the sail was just as valuable as the ship itself in the Viking Age.
On display is an original maststep – an important structural feature in Viking ships, essential for securing the mast. Also exhibited are 1,000-year-old artefacts, including wool combs, spindle whorls, and weaving swords – all indispensable in the production of sails during the Viking Age.