How did the Vikings ships move?
The ships were powered by oars or by the wind. The ships had one large square sail. No sails have survived from the Viking Age so we can only make a good guess about what they were made from. The most likely suggestion is that they were made of wool. Leather strips criss-crossed the wool to help the sail keep its shape when it was wet. Viking ships also had oars. The oars were different lengths according to where they would be used on the ship. The oarsmen did not have seats, so they sat on storage chests instead. A steering oar or ‘steerboard’ was used to steer the ships. It was fastened to the right-hand side of the ship at the back.
