A longship was a fast, narrow wooden ship built by Vikings and other Norse peoples between the 8th and 11th centuries. These ships were masterpieces of shipbuilding, designed to travel on both the open ocean and shallow rivers. They could carry warriors hundreds of miles across the sea, then sail right up rivers deep into Europe to raid or trade.

What made longships remarkable was their clever design. They sat low in the water with a shallow draft, meaning they didn't need much depth beneath them. A crew could row them with oars when there was no wind, or raise a large square sail when the wind was favorable. The ships were built from overlapping planks that made them both strong and flexible, able to bend slightly with the waves without breaking apart.

Vikings used longships to explore far beyond their Scandinavian homeland, reaching Iceland, Greenland, and even North America around the year 1000. The ships could be pulled right up onto beaches, so raiders could land suddenly, attack quickly, and escape before defenders could organize. Some longships were massive: the longest discovered was over 100 feet long and could carry 80 warriors.

The dragon-head carvings often placed at the bow of longships weren't just decoration. They were meant to frighten enemies and, according to Norse tradition, to ward off evil spirits during the voyage.