THE SWEDISH SAILOR'S TABLE : A Study of Vasa's Wooden Tableware

Abstract

On 10 August 1628, Swedish warship Vasa sailed out of port on its maiden voyage, and in a light gust, quickly sank to the bottom of Stockholm Harbor. For more than three centuries, what should have been the pride of the Swedish Navy lay in cold, dark Baltic waters. Throughout the years, some salvage efforts were made but it was not until 1961 that Vasa was raised in its entirety. With the raising of the hull came the recovery of thousands of associated artifacts, including nearly two hundred pieces of treenware. The examination of this treen, or wooden tableware, presents a unique opportunity to further understand seventeenth-century maritime culture, both in Sweden and in the larger context of Northern Europe. The "Swedish Sailor's Table" sets the stage for this research with a brief overview of the state of affairs in seventeenth-century Sweden, followed by an examination of the techniques used in recording the 174 different artifacts in the collection. A detailed description and accounting of each of the seven artifact types is presented and serves as the backdrop for examination and analysis of wooden craft technology and maritime foodways in the seventeenth century. Construction methods, quantities, and marking types and frequency demonstrate that some of the artifacts were likely individually made and owned, and others were likely produced on a semi- or proto-industrial scale, and even possibly state owned and issued. A study of the find context of the tableware supports these ideas, and also presents evidence of communal eating practices. Vasa's treenware represents one of the most significant archaeological collections from the seventeenth century. The "Swedish Sailor's Table" examination of this unique collection brings life to not only the floating community, but to the artifacts themselves.