In connection with the recent years’ extensive urban redevelopment project in Bjørvika in Oslo, the Norwegian Maritime Museum has undertaken a series of archaeological excavations in the city’s historical harbour. Many of these excavations have taken place in areas that are dry land today, but were once underwater. The finds from the excavations have provided new insights into both our capital’s cultural history and the construction of the watercraft throughout the 16th Century.
One of these boats, named Barcode 6, after the site where it was found, is currently on display at the same site where it was, purposely, sunk just before the town fire of 1624. It is possible to see the reconstructed boat through a glass window between the DNB buildings. In 2011, the museum’s boat building workshop built a replica of the boat, called Vaaghals (Daredevil). Vaaghals can be chartered for sailing trips on the Oslofjord during the summer months.
The animation below shows Barcode 6, sailing on the Oslo fjord 400 years ago then becoming the wreck, which was unearthed by archaeologists in 2008. The animation was made by Arkikon in connection with the conservation, reconstruction and following exhibition of the original timbers in the new DNB headquarters in Bjørvika, and was funded by The DNB Savings Bank Foundation. The 3D model is based on the digital recording and reconstruction work done in the museum’s documentation lab.
Barcode 6 3D model on Sketchfab: