Atlantic sturgeon in the king's pantry -- unique discovery in Baltic
shipwreck from 1495

Date:
August 27, 2020
Source:
Lund University
Summary:
Researchers can now reveal what the Danish King Hans had planned
to offer when laying claim to the Swedish throne in 1495: A
two-meter-long Atlantic sturgeon. The well-preserved fish remains
were found in a wreck on the bottom of the Baltic Sea last year,
and species identification was made possible through DNA analysis.



FULL STORY ========================================================================== Researchers at Lund University in Sweden can now reveal what the Danish
King Hans had planned to offer when laying claim to the Swedish throne
in 1495: a two-metre-long Atlantic sturgeon. The well-preserved fish
remains were found in a wreck on the bottom of the Baltic Sea last year,
and species identification was made possible through DNA analysis.


==========================================================================
At midsummer in 1495, the Danish King Hans was en route from Copenhagen
to Kalmar, Sweden, on the royal flagship Gribshunden. Onboard were the
most prestigious goods the Danish royal court could provide, but then,
the trip was also very important. King Hans was going to meet Sten Sture
the Elder (he hoped) to lay claim to the Swedish throne. It was important
to demonstrate both power and grandeur.

However, when the ship was level with Ronneby in Blekinge, which was
Danish territory at the time, a fire broke out on board and Gribshunden
sank. The King himself was not on board that night, however, both crew and cargo sank with the ship to the sea floor, where it has lain ever since.

Thanks to the unique environment of the Baltic Sea -- with oxygen-free
seabeds, low salinity and an absence of shipworms -- the wreck was
particularly well preserved when it was discovered approximately fifty
years ago, and has provided researchers with a unique insight into life
on board a royal ship in the late Middle Ages. In addition, researchers
now also know what was in the royal pantry -- the wooden barrel discovered
last year, with fish remains inside.

"It is a really thrilling discovery, as you do not ordinarily find
fish in a barrel in this way. For me, as an osteologist, it has been
very exciting to work with," says Stella Macheridis, researcher at the Department of Archaeology and Ancient History at Lund University.

When the remains were discovered it was possible to see that they
came from a sturgeon pretty early on due to the special bony plates,
the scutes. However, researchers were unsure which species it was. Up
until relatively recently, it was believed to be the European sturgeon
found in the Baltic Sea at the time.

However, the DNA analysis revealed it was the Atlantic variety with which
King Hans planned on impressing the Swedes. Researchers have also been
able to estimate the length of the sturgeon -- two metres -- as well as demonstrate how it was cut.



==========================================================================
For Maria C Hansson, molecular biologist at Lund University, and the
researcher who carried out the DNA analysis, the discovery is of major significance, particularly for her own research on the environment of
the Baltic Sea.

"For me, this has been a glimpse of what the Baltic Sea looked like
before we interfered with it. Now we know that the Atlantic sturgeon was presumably part of the ecosystem. I think there could be great potential
in using underwater DNA in this way to be able to recreate what it looked
like previously," she says.

The Atlantic sturgeon is currently an endangered species and virtually
extinct.

The discovery on Gribshunden is unique in both the Scandinavian and
European contexts -such well preserved and old sturgeon remains have
only been discovered a few times at an underwater archaeological site.

It is now possible, in a very specific way, to link the sturgeon to a
royal environment -- the discovery confirms the high status it had at
the time. The fish was coveted for its roe, flesh and swim bladder --
the latter could be used to produce a kind of glue (isinglass) that,
among other things, was used to produce gold paint.

"The sturgeon in the King's pantry was a propaganda tool, as was the
entire ship. Everything on that ship served a political function, which
is another element that makes this discovery particularly interesting. It provides us with important information about this pivotal moment for nation-building in Europe, as politics, religion and economics -- indeed, everything -- was changing," says Brendan P. Foley, marine archaeologist
at Lund University, and project coordinator for the excavations.

Gribshunden will become the subject of further archaeological excavations
and scientific analyses in the coming years.


========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by Lund_University. Note: Content may
be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Stella Macheridis, Maria C. Hansson, Brendan P. Foley. Fish in
a barrel:
Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus) from the Baltic Sea
wreck of the royal Danish flagship Gribshunden (1495). Journal
of Archaeological Science: Reports, 2020; 33: 102480 DOI:
10.1016/j.jasrep.2020.102480 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/08/200827105920.htm

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