National Maritime Museum Cornwall Bronze Age Boat Project has reached a milestone when the keel was laid.
Bronze Age Boat Project © www.andrewstagg.com
Forming the backbone of the vessel, the ‘laying down of the keel’ is a momentous event in the construction of any boat and seemingly more significant when part of an archaeological experimental first to build a full size 16m long replica Bronze Age boat based on the oldest remains ever found.
Andy Wyke, boat collections manager at National Maritime Museum Cornwall says: “4000 years ago the keel was part of a jigsaw of very complex technology, today the process looks basic. However, our exhibition and project allows you to go back in time to the Bronze Age, to view the tools that are being used to create the boat and see the methods and skills being adopted and utilised to recreate the oldest boat ever found in Europe. Once you have absorbed the history and heritage of what’s happening before your eyes, you can’t help but admire the innovation and draw breath at the sheer scale of the operation, then and now.”
A team of 30 volunteers from around the globe, led by professional boat builder, Brian Cumby, form just some of the team behind this first ever archaeological experiment. Individuals from Norway, Turkey, France and more locally, Cornwall have poured hours of blood, sweat and tears to get the oak to this stage. www.nmmc.co.uk
