Replica of a dugout canoe from the Late Bronze Age | Silver fir | APM

Dugout canoes were always made from straight logs, preferably without any knots, to ensure optimal watertightness. Old oak trees that had been tended for generations were usually used for this purpose. But silver fir, linden and beech were also used as construction timbers for these early boats. Small dugout canoes for 2-3 people were about 5 meters long, while large ones for fast travel could carry up to 10 people and be up to 13 meters long. In early times, they were the everyday means of transport for the pile dwellers, alongside the first plank boats and sailing ships on the lake during the Bronze Age. They provided quick and easy access to other settlements on the lake. They created connections at a time when there were no proper roads along the shore.

Photo: APM