A seemingly ordinary basement in Constance, southern Germany, has turned out to contain an unusual piece of medieval maritime history. Researchers examining the structure discovered that its ceiling was made from timber once belonging to a lake-going cargo vessel, with at least 19 hull planks reused in the construction.
The wooden pieces cover roughly 270 square feet and date back to a building constructed in 1244. What first looked like a collection of old boards is now providing archaeologists with a rare opportunity to examine medieval shipbuilding techniques from a remarkably well-preserved set of remains.
