Vessels from opposite sides of the globe gave scholars an unprecedented glimpse into the tactics of naval warfare during a period when mastery of the seas became critical to the fates of nations.

Roskilde

In the late 11th century, fearing naval attacks from their Norwegian enemies, the Danes decided to fortify their capital Roskilde. They sank five of their own vessels in Roskilde fjord some 12 miles north of the city near the town of Skuldelev to act as an underwater blockade. Scattered pieces of the vessels were noticed and unearthed by fishermen and divers from the 17th century onward, but in 1962 the site was drained and fully excavated by National Museum of Denmark archaeologists who named them the Skuldelev ships. Two of the boats were merchant ships made of pine and oak, carrying five to eight men and transporting items such as furs, timber, slaves, and fish. Two others were warships, one thought to be a chieftain's boat, its long narrow shape and 65 to 70 rowers allowing for great speed. The fifth Skuldelev wreck was of a hunting ship of pine, birch and oak, its high walls built to contain catches from whaling and seal hunting expeditions.
   All five ships are now displayed in the Viking Ship Museum in Roskilde (vikingeskibsmuseet.dk). Experimental archaeologists have created working replicas of each ship, and in 2007 Sea Stallion, a replica of Skuldelev 2, successfully completed a voyage from Roskilde to Dublin.

Kubilai Khan's Fleet

In 1281, Kubilai Khan sent a fleet of 4,400 ships carrying more than 100,000 troops to subjugate Japan after a failed attempt two years earlier. Facing a seemingly indestructible enemy, the Japanese emperor prayed to the gods for relief. According to legend, the Khan's entire fleet was destroyed that night by a divine wind, the kamikaze, its ships shattered and troops drowned, foiling the Khan's plan ("Relics of the Kamikaze," January/February 2003). Excavations by archaeologist Torao Mozai in the 1980s, and contemporary digs led by Kenzo Hayashida off the island of Takashima in Imari Bay have uncovered remains from one ship, allowing archaeologists to start separating fact from legend. An incredible amount of artifacts has been recovered, including helmets, arrow tips, ceramic tetsuhau bombs, anchors, iron swords and red leather armor, and human remains including a cranium and pelvis. One of the earliest finds, recovered by a local fisherman, was a bronze seal of a commander, engraved in Chinese and Mongolian, confirming that the finds were indeed from the fleet of Kubilai Khan. Analysis of the artifacts has clarified, enhanced, and corrected the legend, leading historians to estimate the fleet consisted only of hundreds of ships, hastily constructed, and filled with primarily Chinese troops. Though altering the story, excavations in Imari bay have re-enlivened the legend of the kamikaze.

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