The Viking burial ship excavated near Sandefjord, Norway, in 1880 was the Gokstad ship.
The Gokstad ship was discovered in a burial mound at Gokstad on the Sandefjord side of the Oslofjord. Archaeologists excavated it in 1880, finding the remains of a man, weapons, shields, game pieces and other objects. The burial is generally dated to around AD 900.
Built mainly from oak, the ship is about 23 metres long and nearly 5.2 metres wide. It had a mast and could be rowed, making it suitable for both sailing and coastal travel. Its design shows the practical strength and seaworthiness associated with Viking ships.
The buried man has often been called the Gokstad man. Some researchers have identified evidence of serious injuries, but the ship itself is the famous discovery. It is displayed at the Viking Ship Museum in Oslo’s Bygdøy district, alongside other major Norwegian ship finds.