The significance of the wreck find

There are not more than five known medieval underwater finds in Finland. Four of these are wrecks of different size and type whereas the fifth is an underwater part of the structure of either a castle or a fortress. Until now our best-known wreck from the Middle Ages has been a ship found in Lapuri, Virolahti. The wreck find in Nauvo is extraordinary since medieval finds that consist of both a merchant vessel and its cargo are extremely rare in Finland and in other Baltic countries, too. Practically all the other medieval wrecks are either abandoned ships or vessels that for some reason or the other do not have any of their cargo left. There are two wrecks that still include parts of the cargo: In Germany there is the so-called Darsser Cog from the end of the 13th century, and in the harbour of Gdansk there is the so-called Copper wreck from the beginning of the 15th century. In other words, the cargo now found in Nauvo offers great examples of medieval artefacts also from an international point of view. The cargo gives us new information about trade in the Baltic Sea in the Middle Ages.

The archaeological finds in the wreck in Nauvo have a lot to offer to the medieval research also for the reason that medieval archive information about e.g. cargoes is very scattered and nearly non-existent. When it comes to the Baltic countries, there are very few archive notes from the times before the middle of the 14th century. For example, the oldest Hanseatic customs lists and other catalogues that would tell us about sea trade are from the end of the 14th century.

What is also noteworthy in the wreck in Nauvo is the fact that many of the dishes in the cargo are either unbroken or in big pieces. Dishes found on dry land are usually thrown away intentionally and they are thus in very many small pieces, which have then grinded in the ground in the course of time. Because archaeological finds preserve very well in the Baltic Sea, the ceramics and other artefacts in the wreck in Nauvo are unique research material for those who study the Middle Ages in Finland and in all Europe.

The wreck find in Nauvo has in fact already raised international interest. There are many gaps to be filled in our knowledge of medieval ship types, and also the sailing routes of the time must be examined more thoroughly. Because the wreck in Nauvo is most likely that of a merchandise ship, the analyses of the cargo can offer us information on medieval merchandise shipping in general. The wreck in Nauvo helps researchers for example to find out about the composition of cargoes in the Middle Ages. Also the routes for goods in the Hanseatic period may be examined. Turku was a central trading centre in those days and it is possible that the dishes that now lie in the sea bottom near the island of Storskär were on their way to Turku.

The church bell found at the site will be conserved. It may have writings or marks of its origins on it. The bell is an important research object both as a single item and as a part of a larger context. Also the pieces of pots, preforms of stone grinders and the structural parts of the wreck will increase our knowledge of medieval shipping and trade significantly. The study of the structural parts of the ship will give us new information on medieval ship types.