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All the United Kingdom England Dover Bronze Age Boat

Bronze Age Boat

One of the oldest seagoing boats in the world can be found at the Dover Museum.

Dover, England

Added By
Mictlān Tēcutli
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CAPTION
  Mari / CC BY 2.0
The bronze age boat, dated 1575–1520 BC   Jim Linwood / CC BY 2.0
A detail of the boat   Matt Boulton / CC BY-SA 2.0
View of Dover Museum   Nessy-Pic / CC BY-SA 4.0
View of Dover museum building   Neddyseagoon / Public Domain
Central section   jooniur / Atlas Obscura User
Polar bear   jooniur / Atlas Obscura User
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About

In September 1992, construction workers made an intriguing discovery while building a road: a sizable, well-preserved prehistoric boat, which was determined to be about 3,500 years old. Archaeologists estimated that the boat would have been in use around 1500 BC. Today, the boat lives in a special gallery in the Dover Museum.

When the Canterbury Archaeological Trust helped excavate the vessel, they knew they needed to take special care. When similar pieces had been found previously, attempts to remove them in a single piece were unsuccessful. So instead, they cut the boat into sections with a plan to reassemble it once it had all been unearthed. It took nearly a month to remove the boat—most of it, at least. One piece was left buried, as removing it would have damaged surrounding buildings.

The remains of this Bronze Age boat measure about 9.5 meters (31 feet), built from oak planks held together with wedges and yew branches. Its discovery was notable for nautical archaeology: the boat appears to be a seagoing vessel, which likely made trips across the Dover Straits to and from the European continent. 

Dover is a port town, and its proximity to continental Europe has made it a target for invasion and a frontline of defense in ancient and modern times. Other artifacts on display in the Dover Museum include swords and axes, elaborate brooches, and even a pair of Saxon skeletons unearthed in the early 20th century. 

Another of the more famous and beloved artifacts in the museum is the taxidermied remains of a gigantic polar bear, which is posed as if swatting at visitors with a massive clawed paw. The bear was "collected" by the Victorian polar explorer and doctor Reginald Koettlitz in 1897, and then became an heirloom to the Koettlitz family who lived locally until they donated it to the museum in 1960.

Related Tags

Museums Museums And Collections Bronze Age Boats Sea

Know Before You Go

The museum is open from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Monday to Saturday, and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday. Entrance is free. 

All floors of the museum are fully accessible. Both the boat and the polar bear can be seen on the top floor.

Community Contributors

Added By

Monsieur Mictlan

Edited By

Vaquero, jooniur, Steve 55, Michelle Cassidy

  • Vaquero
  • jooniur
  • Steve 55
  • Michelle Cassidy

Published

February 3, 2020

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Sources
  • http://www.bbc.co.uk/ahistoryoftheworld/objects/KqztJvaeRsiZdlDXMAqAEA
  • https://www.archaeology.co.uk/articles/specials/timeline/the-dover-bronze-age-boat.htm
  • http://www.bbc.co.uk/ahistoryoftheworld/objects/KqztJvaeRsiZdlDXMAqAEA
  • https://www.archaeology.co.uk/articles/specials/timeline/the-dover-bronze-age-boat.htm
Bronze Age Boat
Market Square
Dover, England, CT16 1PH
United Kingdom
51.124805, 1.313212
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Nearby Places

Dover Castle

Dover, England

miles away

Blériot Memorial

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Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Dover

Dover

England

Places 3

Nearby Places

Dover Castle

Dover, England

miles away

Blériot Memorial

Dover, England

miles away

Kearsney Abbey and Russell Gardens

Temple Ewell, England

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Dover

Dover

England

Places 3

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