Viking longship

Timeline

1. c. 600–650Scandinavian Peninsula · ScandinaviaArchaeology of early seventh-century Nordic ship burials shows elongated wooden-hulled ships already appearing, with lapstrake planking fastened with iron nails, laying the technical foundation for the symmetrical bow and light structure of later longships.
2. c. 650–700West coast of Norway · NorwayIn this period longships developed a shallow-draft hull, oar ports along both sides, and a single square sail, allowing flexible switching between propulsion modes across fjords, rivers, and open sea, suited to Northern Europe's complex waterways and raiding tactics.
3. c. 680–700Scandinavia · ScandinaviaBy the end of the seventh century longship technology was sufficient to support North Sea crossings and coastal raiding, providing a reliable transport and combat platform for the large-scale overseas expansion of the Viking Age in the eighth century.