Meet the Middle Ages
BackByrthing and busse
A well-known type of ship during the 13th and 14th centuries was the byrthing. Byrthings were short and broad, with rudders instead of steering-oars. Depending on its size, the byrthing could take a crew of 12 to 30 men. It was used to carry goods along the coasts.
Older types of vessels were also used. One of these was the so-called buss. It looked very much like a Viking ship, with a slender hull and one mast with a sail. We know about these vessels through archaeological finds of medieval shipwrecks in Slottsfjärden near Kalmar Castle.