Lauenburg beech

This inconspicuous collection of logs was found at the far end of the hold, exactly where no more barrels could be stored. Dendrochronologist Daniel Balanzategui from the TH Lübeck was able to determine that the wood was beech felled in the winter 1655/56 in the Lauenburg/Elbe region. The wood, which was very probably used as fuel on board, provides further evidence of the origin of the Hansa ship. A town like Lübeck had an enormous demand for firewood, which could not only be covered by the immediate surroundings, but was also brought in by ship via the Stecknitz Canal. Additionally the felling date provides a valuable indication of the time of the average, which must have taken place in the second half of the 1650s.

Photo: Archcom