Votive offerings deposited in watery places included several ships. One formed part of a large deposit of material at Hjortspring dated around 300 BC. This was the earliest example of a clinker-built ship - one constructed of overlapping planks. This vessel consisted of five planks sewn together, two on each side and one as keel, and was paddled rather than rowed.
Some 750 years later, the well preserved Nydam boat shows considerable advances. Eleven planks had been used, five a side and one for the keel. They had been fastened with iron nails and the ship had rowlocks to allow the crew, who probably numbered some thirty men, to row rather than paddle. Neither vessel had any trace of a sail.
Nydam was a major centre for offerings: two other ships and numerous swords and weapons and other material were also found here, spanning many centuries.
