The County Administrative Board of Uppsala County ordered the survey as part of a harbor expansion. Marine archaeologist Jens Lindström, who led the work, told SVT Uppland that the team found wreck parts in a messy environment of trash and timber, which they believe belong to two separate wrecks. The first wreck was likely a 20-meter-long ship with very strong dimensions, according to Lindström.
Fifteen years ago, Lindström led a survey during lighthouse construction that uncovered an 18th-century wreck in the outer harbor. The inner parts were not examined then, and it was thought older wrecks might exist there. Öregrund has been a shipping town since 1491 and was used as a natural harbor before that.
Then we found a wreck from the 18th century in the outer harbor. But we didn't examine the inner parts and it was likely that there were even older wrecks there.
Archaeologists took samples from both wrecks for laboratory dating, which may place them between the 17th and 19th centuries. Hemp rope was found that could belong to the second wreck, and analyses may reveal its cargo and the origin of the wood used in construction. Lindström noted that historical records exist of wrecks that sank in the harbor, and archive research might link them to these finds. He added that deeper under the sediment or in other parts of the harbor, there may be wrecks older than Öregrund's history.
It's a very messy environment with trash and timber, but we could find wreck parts that we believe belong to two different wrecks.
It had very strong dimensions. We know that there are historical records of wrecks that sank in Öregrund harbor and perhaps with the help of archive research the records can be linked together.
We could find hemp rope that could belong to the wreck. There may be potential to find traces of cargo. We can hopefully also trace where the wood used to build the wreck has grown.
We expected to find things, but I didn't think they would be so shallow. Deeper under the sediment and in other parts of the harbor there may be wrecks that are older than Öregrund's history.