Historical shipwreck in lake Mjøsa
On the 5th October 2006, members of a local scuba diving club Mjøsen Dykkerklubb, Reidar Harjo Johansen (Stange) and Johan-Arnt Ludvigsen (Ringsaker), found the remains of an old wooden boat in lake Mjøsa in Hedmark County, just north of the city Hamar. The findings were later photographed and videotaped by another member of the diving club Hallgeir Nordhagen. And the documentation was shown to chairman of Mjøssamlingene (museum), Mr Arne Julsrud Berg, who thought it had the indications of a boat from the middle age era of this district. At the request of Archeologist Pål Nymoen at the Norwegian Maritime Museum the divers brought up a piece of the wreck for C-14 dating.
The preliminary results of the C-14 dating, together with historical knowledge of the activities the boat is believed to have taken part in, indicates that the boat is from between the year 1470 and 1570.
The condition of the boat and the site it was found at, under thick layers of silt, sparks hope that it can be salvaged and preserved, and later exhibited at the local historical Hedmarks Museum in Hamar, next to the the famous ruins at Domkirkeodden. Findings indicates the boat sank abruptly, and therefore an archeological exploration may well show exciting results. The boat is assumed to be between 6 and 10 metres long and of type seksring or åttring. This means it has had room for 3-4 rowers. It's shape is very much like the celebrated old Norwegian boat type Oselver.
