The Poole Logboat is an ancient
logboat
A dugout canoe or simply dugout is a boat made from a hollowed tree. Other names for this type of boat are logboat and monoxylon. ''Monoxylon'' (''μονόξυλον'') (pl: ''monoxyla'') is Greek – ''mono-'' (single) + '' ξύλον xylon'' (t ...
made from a single
oak tree
An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably ''L ...
. It was excavated in the town of
Poole,
Dorset
Dorset ( ; archaically: Dorsetshire , ) is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The ceremonial county comprises the unitary authority areas of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole and Dorset. Covering an area of , ...
,
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
. The boat is over 2,200 years old and is estimated through
carbon dating to have been constructed around 200–300 BCE, likely around 295BC.
The
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the final epoch of the three-age division of the prehistory and protohistory of humanity. It was preceded by the Stone Age ( Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic) and the Bronze Age ( Chalcolithic). The concept has been mostl ...
vessel was unearthed in 1964 during dredging work in
Poole Harbour
Poole Harbour is a large natural harbour in Dorset, southern England, with the town of Poole on its shores. The harbour is a drowned valley (ria) formed at the end of the last ice age and is the estuary of several rivers, the largest being t ...
. The log boat, which could accommodate 18 people and is long was based at
Green Island in the harbour. After it was found it was kept submerged in water for 30 years while archaeologists decided what to do with it. It was restored by members of
York
York is a cathedral city with Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. It is the historic county town of Yorkshire. The city has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a ...
Archaeological Trust and dried for two years.
The boat is on display in
Poole Museum
Poole Museum (formerly known as the Waterfront Museum) is a local history museum situated on the Lower High Street in the Old Town area of Poole, Dorset, and is part of the Borough of Poole Museum Service. Entrance to Poole Museum is free, and th ...
.
The boat has been described as one of the finest examples in Western Europe.
As an internationally significant object, the logboat has been fully recorded digitally using 3D scanning.
The logboat is of a shell built design type that has a 'fitted transom added'. The boat has a reasonable degree of stability and seaworthiness. With a freeboard of 0.76m, research has determined the logboat could support the weight of up to 18 persons (weighing 60kg) each.
[McGrail 2014, p. 21.]
References
Bibliography
External links
Link to Logboat, Poole Borough Council, 2007Poole Museum
Tourist attractions in Poole
Ancient boats
Poole Harbour
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