An imprint of a large Viking ship.
The Gjellestad Ship was excavated in a way that it could be displayed in a future visitor centre built around the clear ship imprint depicted here. If the remaining parts are not preserved in the coming years, there will be nothing left, archaeologists warn.

Archaeologists sound the alarm: Urgent action needed to preserve the Gjellestad Ship remains

Under layers of sand and soil, a Viking ship is rotting away.

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The remains of the Gjellestad Viking ship, which were covered after the excavation in 2021, are now so degraded they resemble the consistency of butter.

“It can’t be removed and preserved, but it retains a recognisable ship shape in the ground,” says Sigrid Mannsåker Gundersen.

Gundersen, an archaeologist, initially encountered the drainage issue at Gjellestad farm nearly seven years ago. She and her colleagues thought it would be wise to use ground-penetrating radar on the field first.

This decision led to the groundbreaking discovery of the Gjellestad Ship in 2018, which became a global sensation.

When archaeologists warned of a fungal attack on what was left of a ship, emergency funds was hastily allocated for an excavation.

The excavation was planned with the intention of preserving what remained for display in a visitor centre.

The over 1,300 ship rivets that were retrieved were removed in such a way that they can be put back in place in the ship’s imprint.

The rivets of the Gjellestad Ship were removed as small blocks of soil. In the holes left by these soil blocks, the archaeologists placed plastic, which they then filled with sand. The idea is that this can be removed so the soil blocks can be put back, preserving the original imprint.
The rivets of the Gjellestad Ship were removed as small blocks of soil. In the holes left by these soil blocks, the archaeologists placed plastic, which they then filled with sand. The idea is that this can be removed so the soil blocks can be put back, preserving the original imprint.
After the excavation, the ship's imprint was covered with perforated plastic and fibre cloth, which was then filled with sand.
After the excavation, the ship's imprint was covered with perforated plastic and fibre cloth, which was then filled with sand.

Dramatic to just let it lie

The clock is ticking for the remains of the Gjellestad Ship.

“I estimated that we might have a maximum of ten years after the excavation to preserve some of it,” says Christian Løchsen Rødsrud.

He is the archaeologist that led the excavation of the ship.

“But ten years is just a guess. What we know for certain is that it gets worse with each passing year,” he says.

According to Rødsrud, immediate action is needed if there is to be anything left to display.

“We invested significant additional funds to excavate it in the way we did, believing it could hold shared value for society if displayed later. It's quite dramatic to just let it lie there and deteriorate,” he says.

A national responsibility

To start, a protective structure needs to be built around the ship's imprint, explains Gundersen. This is similar to what the Danes have done with the Ladby Ship, which is displayed in the burial mound where it was discovered..

The exact dating of the Gjellestad Ship is still uncertain, but it is estimated to be from between 780-830, during the early Viking Age. Preserved wood, such as the keel, has been extracted and conserved using water-soluble wax in a water bath.
The exact dating of the Gjellestad Ship is still uncertain, but it is estimated to be from between 780-830, during the early Viking Age. Preserved wood, such as the keel, has been extracted and conserved using water-soluble wax in a water bath.

“Our first priority is to secure the traces on-site, ensuring we have something to display in the future. We hold this responsibility on behalf of the nation,” she says.

The ground beneath the ship's imprint needs to be excavated to create a basement, allowing the climate and temperature around the imprint to be controlled.

Investigations have revealed the presence of quick clay in the field where the ship's imprint lies, Gundersen explains. Thus, construction will need to comply with strict standards for building in unstable soil.

The cost of the protective structure alone is significant, and accommodating a visitor centre will be even more expensive.

“This will cost more than we can manage locally and regionally. We also believe it’s also a national responsibility,” says Gundersen.

On top of the covered ship imprint, a mound was later created to show the public where the ship lay and to protect the cultural heritage. Grass and flowers were planted on the mound in the spring of 2022.
On top of the covered ship imprint, a mound was later created to show the public where the ship lay and to protect the cultural heritage. Grass and flowers were planted on the mound in the spring of 2022.
Photo from November 2021. A mound of sand and soil has been placed over the ship's imprint.
Photo from November 2021. A mound of sand and soil has been placed over the ship's imprint.

Important for World Heritage status

Last Wednesday, archaeologist Christian Løchsen Rødsrud visited the Norwegian Parliament with two local politicians to inform them about the urgent need to preserve the remains of the Gjellestad Ship.

County archaeologist Sigrid Mannsåker Gundersen has followed the Gjellestad Ship since its discovery almost seven years ago.
County archaeologist Sigrid Mannsåker Gundersen has followed the Gjellestad Ship since its discovery almost seven years ago.

To achieve World Heritage status, something must remain at the original site. Only the Gjellestad Ship fulfills this criterion – the Oseberg Ship and the Gokstad Ship have been excavated and are now displayed in museums.

‘Without Gjellestad, there is no UNESCO status,’ Østfold county municipality writes in a press release (link in Norwegian).

Monitoring resumes in August

The UNESCO working group of the Directorate for Cultural Heritage recognises the critical importance of preserving the Gjellestad Ship's remains.

While archaeologists and local authorities work to secure funds for extensive preservation efforts, the UNESCO group has decided to fund the reinstallation of monitoring at the Gjellestad site.

“We monitored the site during the excavation, but the equipment wasn’t left in place due to a lack of resources,” says Rødsrud.

Starting in August, it will once again be possible to monitor the environmental conditions around the ship's imprint.

However, achieving World Heritage status is not the primary objective.

“The most important thing is to preserve this site,” says Rødsrud.

Welcome to Viking Land

Beyond a climate-controlled building, Rødsrud has a clear vision for a visitor centre:

"Imagine being greeted by a Viking ship as soon as you enter Norway from the Swedish border!"

Photo from June 2024. The slight elevation with daisies in the centre of the image is the mound over the ship's imprint. Jellhaug can be seen in the background.
Photo from June 2024. The slight elevation with daisies in the centre of the image is the mound over the ship's imprint. Jellhaug can be seen in the background.

“This would also create great synergy with the new museum being built in Oslo. Both sites could complement each other. Gjellestad would focus on on-site preservation, while the complete and preserved Viking ships would be displayed in Oslo,” he says.

Preserving our cultural heritage

The recent meeting at Parliament has already yielded results. The Gjellestad group has been promised a meeting with the Minister of Culture soon to discuss the situation.

"I understand that our economic situation makes it difficult to ask for funding, but this isn't just about money. This is about preserving our cultural heritage," says Rødsrud.

"We don't control the purse strings; we can only report the situation and express our concerns."

The effort to secure funds for a Viking ship museum in Oslo took over 20 years.

The estimate is that the Gjellestad Ship will deteriorate into soil in about ten years. The countdown began in October 2021 when the remains were covered with plastic, fibre cloth, and sand.

"The decision to excavate the Gjellestad ship was made in an instant, so you never know," says archaeologist Gundersen.

“We must at least ensure that politicians make an informed choice. If Norway chooses not to prioritise this, they should fully understand what they are opting to disregard.”

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Translated by Alette Bjordal Gjellesvik

Read the Norwegian version of this article on forskning.no

More information regarding the preservation effort

Rødsrud was joined by Fredrik Holm, mayor of Halden, and Sindre Martinsen-Evje, county mayor of Østfold county municipality at the Norwegian Parliament last week.

The working group for the Gjellestad Ship also linked their efforts to the government’s attempt to achieve World Heritage status for Viking Age monuments in Norway, an effort currently undertaken by the Directorate for Cultural Heritage at the request of the Ministry of Climate and Environment (link in Norwegian).

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