Divers investigating the seabed ahead of an underwater gas-pipeline project found a previously unknown shipwreck in Germany’s Bay of Greifswald in 2023. Among more than 60 documented objects was a pierced clay fragment fitted into oak. Researchers have proposed it may have been used to sharpen tools, but its purpose—and the ship’s identity and fate—remain unknown.
Where was the shipwreck found?
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, prompting the identification of the wreck. It was at a depth of roughly 7.5 metres (25 feet), in soft silt that quickly clouded when divers moved through it.
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The discovery was investigated as a rescue operation before construction activity. A five-person team completed 22 dives over a little more than 12 days, according to reporting by Phys.org and Archaeology Magazine.
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Tree-ring analysis of one timber indicates that the tree used to build the vessel was felled between 1626 and 1639, according to the Phys.org and Archaeology Magazine reports. That places the ship’s construction in the 17th century and supports describing it as roughly 400 years old. The tree-ring date is not an exact date for the ship’s construction or sinking.
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What does the surviving hull show?
The remains are highly fragmentary. Phys.org describes an approximately 7.5-metre (24-foot) patch of outer planking, along with loose frames and other timbers. The planks overlap like shingles and are fastened with iron nails; tar and animal hair were used to seal them. This overlapping construction is known as clinker building.
What did archaeologists find on board?
Researchers documented more than 60 objects, according to Phys.org. The reported finds include rope, barrel staves, pulley blocks, wooden stocks, anchors, a wooden buoy associated with anchoring, two shoe soles, a stitched leather strap, animal bones, carpentry tools, a hand-drill handle and a hollowed oak trunk interpreted as a likely bilge-pump component.
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Tools and clues to shipboard work
Chisels, drill bits and a hand-drill handle suggest the crew carried equipment for repairs. The reported interpretation is that the ship had an onboard workshop and may have been prepared for prolonged voyages. These objects do not establish a particular route or destination.
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Animal bones were described in the reporting as evidence that the crew ate pig and possibly sheep or goat. The finds offer a limited glimpse of life aboard, but do not identify the crew or establish their social background.
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A possible bilge-pump component
A long, hollowed oak tube was interpreted as part of a bilge pump. Popular Mechanics describes it as close to 12 feet long and summarizes the proposed role of its opening and fittings. The cautious description is important: the tube is thought to be a pump component, not conclusively identified as one.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What is the strange pierced object?
It is a flat piece of clay or brick with a series of holes, fitted tightly inside an oak block or housing. The reporting says researchers knew of no comparable object. A preliminary suggestion, as summarized in the coverage, is that it may have served as an improvised sharpener for blunt chisels or drill bits, perhaps after being repurposed and mounted in its wooden casing. That is a hypothesis, not a confirmed 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.”
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Do researchers know why the ship sank?
No. The vessel’s name, home port, destination and cause of sinking remain unknown in the available reporting. Some timbers were burnt, which may point to a fire, but does not prove fire caused the loss. Anchors and a buoy associated with an anchor being deployed may indicate the vessel was at anchor; they do not establish what happened to it.
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 wreck might lie east of the find spot and reportedly intended to search there. That was a plan described in the coverage, not confirmation that a later search took place.
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