The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-07-07

A DpriDd distant 4 thousand years lIOu o"I
time, but sim it initiates the modern TINE
In the life and customs OF bygone ages, ana
WHITES the cycle OF old northern poems ana
Sagas as fully a the HAD Is liuNtiaieu pY
the excavations at iisSarlik or a, Mycen@'
or the Plndaric Odes 10y those al olympia
I'm the southwestern part OF
cHRIsTIANIA FJORD,
in Norway, is situated the bathing eS'aD-
lishinent OF Sandefiord, renowned as a re-
sort for rheumatic and nervous patients.
The way from this place to the old town OF
Tonsberg conducts to a small village called
Goestaj. near which is a tumulus or fune-
real bill, LONG known in the local traditions
under the nome OF Kings bill (KongShoagl.
In the fat fields and meadows stretching
from the ford to the foot OF the mountains
this mole. nearly $50 feet in diameter. rises
slowly from the ground. covered with green
turf. A mighty king, it was told, had mere
found his last resting-place. surrounded by
ms horses and hounds, and with costly treas
ures near his body, but for centuries super
siiton and the fear OF sytngiUg ghosts had
pre, enied any examination OF the sup
DOsed grave. until now the spirit OF inyeS'
,isaiion has dared 20 penetrate into its Sc
crels. The result has been the discovery OF
a complete vessel Of war.
"a PERFECT VIKING CRAFT,
in which he unknown chieftain had been
enlomDed.
The sons Of The peasant on whose
ground the iumulus is situated began IN
January and February this year an eXcaya-
ton: they dug down a well from the top,
and soon met with some timber. Happily,
ihev suspended their work at this point,
and reported the matter TO Chnstania.
where the Society for the Preservation OF
Ancient Monuments took up The task, ana
sent down MIR. NicOlayseD, an expert ana
learned anlIquary, TO conduct the iurtber
investigation. Under his able guidance the
excavation was carried on IN tho months OF
April and Nav. and brought 10 a happy
conclusion, revealing the whole body or an
old viking vessel, = feet long between
s,er1 and stern, 16 feet broad amidshipS,
draTiuc feet, and with % ribs. This is
by far the largest craft found from the olden
times. In 1868 the Danish professor, En-
gelhardt, dug out from the turf-moor at
Nydam, in Schlesvig, vessel 10 feet IN
length, and in 1867 another was found at
Tune. IN Norway, 81 feet long; but neither
of these can. in completeness or appoint
mept, be compared with the craft now ex.
cavated at Gogstad. the tumuus is now
nearly mile distant from the sea, but it Is
evident from
"THE NATURE
OF the alluyial soil that IN olden times the
waves
"wASBED ITS BASE.
1.-THE vessel had consequently been drawn
up Immediately from the ford, and placed
upon layer Of fascines or hurdles OF hazel
branches and moss; the sides had then been
al tf al, . vi 10
up with earth and sandto form the funerea
hill. But the craft is placed with the stem
toward the sea. Ii was the grand imsgina
ton Of the period that when the Great
Father Of the Universe should call him the
mighty chieftain might start from the fu-
neral bill with bis fully-appointed vessel
out upon the blue ocean.
"In the stem OF the ship, first disclosed
10 the eye, several interesting objects were
found. A piece Of timber proved to be the
stock Of tie anchor. II was perforated 10
hold the IRON, but OF this no more was
found than few remnants. In the bottom
tue remains Of two or three small O9ken
boats of a very elegant shape were placed
over a multitude OF oars-SOme OF them for
tue boats, others twenty feet long for the
large craft itself. The form Of
"TBEsE OARS
is highly Interesting, and very nearly like
that still in use IN English rowiDg-matcheS,
ending 10 a small, fnely-cut blade, some OF
them with ornamental carvings. The bot
tom.deals. as well preserved a. II they were
OF yesterday, are Ornamepted with circular
lines. Several pieces Of wood had the APP
pearanee Of having belonged to sed2es, and
some beams and deals are supposed TO have
formed compartments dividing the banks OF
the rOwers on each side from passage or
corridor in the uiddle. In a heap OF oaken
chips and spllnters was found an elegantly
shaped Ratchet, about two inches long, OF
the shape peculiar 10 the younger Iron Age.
Some loose beams ended in Ougby-carved
dragons heads, painted in the same colors
as the bows and sides Of the yessel-to wit,
yellow and black. The colors had evident
iy no, been dissolved in water as they still
exist; but as olive oil or other kinds OF
vegetable oil were unknown at the time, 1t
is supposed that the colors had been pre-
pared with some sort Of fat, perhaps with
blubber
AS tue excavation proceeded the whole
length Of the vessel was laid bare. All
along the sides, nearly from stem to stern,
and on the outside, extended
GA ROW OF CIRCULAR SHIELDS.
placed like the scales OF fish nearly ore
hundred OF these are remaining, partly
painted in yellow aud black, but 10 many OF
them the wood had been consumed and
only the central iron plate is preserved.
From The famous tapestry OF BayeuX 1t l.
well known that tae ancient viking vessels
had these rows OF shields along the free
board, but IL was supposed that they were
those used by the warriors in the strife, and
placed there for convenience. III Is now
clear that they had only an ornamental pur-
pose, being of very thin wood, not thicker
than stifi Dashboard, and unable TO ward
of any serious bit from a sword. In the
middle OF the vessel a large oaken block,
solidly fastened TO the bottom, has a square
hole for the mast, and several contriyances
show that the mast was constructed for
being laid down aft. Some pieces OF tow
and a few shreds OF wOolen stun, proba-
bly, the msinsail, were found here. 10 this
part OF the vessel was built the funereal
chamber, formed by strong plauks and
beams placed obiquely against esch other
and covering room 0f nearly fifteen feet
square. Here, Just az expectations were
raised to the highest pitch, a bitter disap.
pointment awaited the explorers. Some
body had been there before them. Either
"IS OLDRS TINES,
when the costly weapons OF an entombed
hero tempted the surviving warriors, or IN
some more modern period when the greedi.
ness for treasure was supreme In mems
minds, the funeral bill had been desecrated,
1t. contents pilfered and dispersed. and
what has been left IL only due TO the haste
aud fear under which the graye-robbers
bad worked. A few human bOues, some