The Viking Ship Museum houses the three Viking ships from Tune, Gokstad, and Oseberg. Also on display are finds from the mound cemetery at
Borre. The ships were found in the late 1800's and very early 1900's. The Gokstad Ship (1st and 3rd photographs) is one of the best
preserved Viking long boats ever found. The prow of the Oseberg Ship (2nd photograph) is famous for the spiral dragon's head and
the knot work carving on the keel. All three ships in this museum were placed in burial mounds along with the remains of their
royal occupants, presumably to help carry the dead to the "other side."

Dendrochronology or tree-ring dating suggests that the Gokstad was built around 890 A.D. and
the Oseberg was built around 820 A.D. The Gokstad is representative of the sea-going vessels the Vikings
used during their raids on Europe. The Oseberg is more in the nature of a royal yacht for pleasure cruising.