A photo from open sources
In Greenland, they found an amazing Viking sundial, with by which they sailed across the Atlantic. Thanks to this find, researchers may suggest that the ancient Vikings were more skilled mariners than previously thought. “Long Normans are known to be excellent sailors. But now it’s clear that they used more advanced navigation tools than previously thought, “explained one of the researchers at the University. Hungary Balaz Bernat. Viking shipping technology has long been is an interesting topic for research and debate. Scientists The Vikings believe that sophisticated solar compasses were used to definitions of the north and relied on a “magic” crystal for sailing on cloudy days. In 1948, in the ruins of Benedictine monastery in Greenland, an archaeologist discovered a mysterious wooden artifact. The find was in the shape of a semicircular bowl, a hole in the center and a zigzag pattern around the perimeter. Besides In addition, several lines were cut out on the inside of the thicket. Some skeptics have claimed that this is a decoration, but most researchers find it difficult solar viking compass. Previously, researchers even took a copy of this instrument on board the ship to check its navigation actions. But the navigational lines drawn on the compass were unfinished, so the ancient sundial did not help modern sailors find the north. This fact led scientists to think that this compass had a more complex function – determining latitude. “The Vikings were guided by latitudes, that is, when sailing adhered to the selected latitude. For example, they often sailed 2.5 thousand kilometers along 61 latitudes from Norway to Greenland and back. This requires a good compass or constant check. latitude, ”added Bernat. However, wind and currents could easily change the movement of small Viking ships, which is why sailors I had to constantly check the latitude so as not to get lost with course. Arab sailors recognized latitude by stars, and Vikings swam near the Arctic Circle, where in the summer the sun never sets. Therefore, they had to be guided by the position of the sun, not stars. The research team managed to find out that at noon, when the sun is at its zenith, a shadow falls between the two lines on the compass, drawn on the bowl. Thus, ancient mariners could measure the length of the midday shadow and determine the latitude. However even if the compass helped pinpoint latitude and longitude, now it check is almost impossible.
Translation by Sergey Vasilenkov
Greenland Sun
