Overview
- A PLOS One study analyzed unconserved cordage and caulking from the 2,400‑year‑old vessel using radiocarbon dating, GC–MS, and X‑ray tomography.
- Chemical signatures show the caulking was made from animal fat mixed with pine pitch, a combination the authors say fits pine‑rich coasts east of Denmark, though trade remains a possible source.
- High‑resolution scans revealed a partial human fingerprint in the tar, offering a rare personal trace that may enable future biomolecular work.
- The direct date for lime bast cordage places construction in the pre‑Roman Iron Age and aligns with earlier site estimates, reinforcing the boat’s chronology.
- If a Baltic build is confirmed, reaching Als would imply a planned, long‑distance maritime raid, and the team now targets dendrochronology and attempts to recover ancient DNA from the tar.