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Divers investigating the seabed ahead of an underwater gas-pipeline project found a previously unknown shipwreck in Germany’s Bay of Greifswald in 2023. Archaeologists date the timber to the 17th century, and among more than 60 documented finds is a pierced clay piece fitted into oak whose purpose remains uncertain. The pipeline route was changed to avoid the wreck.
Where was the shipwreck found, and who discovered it?
The wreck lies in the Bay of Greifswald, a sheltered lagoon in northern Germany. In 2023, divers checking seabed anomalies along the preparation area for an underwater gas pipeline came across shoe soles, pulley blocks and an iron anchor. Those finds led them to recognize a previously unknown wreck. The initial discovery was made during seabed work connected with construction, but the reporting describes divers—not construction workers—as the people who found it.
A five-person rescue team then carried out 22 dives over a little more than 12 days, according to Phys.org’s account of the investigation and Archaeology Magazine’s report. The site is about 7.5 metres (25 feet) underwater, in soft silt. Diver movement stirred the sediment and quickly reduced visibility, making the work difficult.
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Tree-ring analysis of one timber indicates that the tree used in the vessel’s construction was felled between 1626 and 1639, as reported by Phys.org and Archaeology Magazine. That places the ship in the 17th century and supports describing it as roughly 400 years old. It does not give an exact date for when the ship was built or sank.
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What does the surviving hull reveal?
The wreck is fragmentary: one surviving patch of outer planking measures about 7.5 metres (24 feet), with loose frames and other timbers nearby. The planks overlap like shingles and are held with iron nails. Tar and animal hair were used to seal them. This overlapping method is known as clinker construction.
Those physical details tell archaeologists how at least part of the hull was assembled, but the surviving section is not enough to establish the ship’s full size, design or identity.
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What is the strange pierced object?
It is a flat piece of clay brick, or a fragment of one, pierced by a series of holes and fitted tightly into an oak housing. Researchers have not confirmed its purpose, and the reporting says they knew of no comparable object.
A preliminary interpretation, described in accessible coverage, is that it may have served as an improvised sharpening device for blunt chisels or drill bits. It could have been reused for that purpose and mounted in the wooden casing, but that remains a hypothesis—not an identification.
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Michał Grabowski, an underwater archaeologist at the University of Warsaw, told Phys.org: “I had no idea what it was, but I really wanted to solve the mystery,” adding, “And I still very much want to.” He also cautioned: “I try not to speculate. Otherwise, we risk creating an alternative history.”
What else did archaeologists find on board?
Researchers documented more than 60 objects, including items that suggest the ship carried equipment for anchoring, daily life and repairs.
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- Anchoring and rigging: anchors, rope, pulley blocks, wooden stocks and a wooden buoy associated with anchoring.
- Shipboard life: two shoe soles, a stitched leather strap, barrel staves and animal bones. The bones were described as indicating that the crew ate pig and possibly sheep or goat.
- Tools and maintenance: carpentry tools, chisels, drill bits and a hand-drill handle.
- A possible pump component: a large hollowed oak trunk interpreted as part of a bilge pump. Popular Mechanics’ feature describes the tube as close to 12 feet long; its function is still an interpretation rather than a certainty.
The repair tools support the idea that the vessel had equipment for onboard maintenance. Archaeologists have also interpreted the collection as evidence of a small workshop and possible preparation for longer voyages. Neither interpretation establishes a particular route, destination or crew identity.
Do researchers know why the ship sank?
No. Some timbers were burnt, which could point to a fire, but that does not prove fire caused the ship to sink. Anchors and the buoy associated with anchoring may indicate the vessel was at anchor, but they do not establish what happened when it was lost. The ship’s name, home port, destination and sinking cause remain unknown in the available accounts.
What happened to the wreck after its discovery?
The pipeline was rerouted, and the wreck remains were covered with sandbags. Researchers thought more of the vessel might survive to the east of the exposed section and reportedly intended to search there. That was a stated plan; the cited accounts do not establish that the follow-up search has taken place.
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