Archaeologists recently discovered the wreck of a large medieval cargo ship on the seafloor off the Danish coast, offering insights into medieval trade and maritime life. The shipwreck, found during a seabed survey in preparation for a construction project in Copenhagen, Denmark, rested on its side, partially buried in the sand, 12 meters below the surface of the Øresund strait between Denmark and Sweden.

Dendrochronological analysis, comparing tree rings from the wreck's wooden planks with dated tree samples, indicated the ship was built around 1410 CE. Archaeologists have named the wreck Svaelget 2, as its original name is unknown. The vessel is identified as a cog, a type of merchant ship characterized by a wide, flat bottom, high sides, an open cargo hold, and a square sail.

Cogs were a dominant type of merchant vessel in Northern Europe during the medieval period, crucial for trade within the Hanseatic League, a powerful commercial and political alliance of trading guilds and their market towns. The size of Svaelget 2 suggests a significant capacity for transporting goods, reflecting the scale of trade in the region during the early 15th century. The discovery provides valuable data for understanding shipbuilding techniques, trade routes, and the economic activities of the time.

The Viking Ship Museum provided the credit for the image of the Skaelget 2 shipwreck with a diver for scale. Further research and analysis of the wreck are planned to uncover more details about its construction, cargo, and the circumstances of its sinking. The artifacts recovered from the site will likely provide further insights into the daily lives of sailors and merchants during the medieval period.