Salme ships

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

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Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/salme-ships

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the ship construction method?Clinker-built, characterized by overlapping planks fastened together
2. What is the estimated date of burial?Circa AD 700–750, during the Nordic Iron Age
3. Where were the Salme ships discovered?They were found near the village of Salme on Estonia's Saaremaa island, in 2008 and 2010.
4. Why are the Salme ships important?They show advanced shipbuilding and warrior burials, giving clues about Viking Age society and battles.

Clinker-built: A shipbuilding technique where the edges of hull planks overlap and are fastened together, creating a strong and flexible structure.
Ship burial: A funerary rite involving the interment of a deceased individual, often a person of high status, within a ship or boat, symbolizing a final journey.
Nordic Iron Age: A historical period in Scandinavia (roughly 500 BC to 1050 AD) defined by the widespread use of iron for tools, weapons, and ornamentation.
Maritime Archaeology: The study of human history and prehistory through the excavation of sites and the analysis of material remains found in maritime environments.