NOVA · Season 48 · Episode 11

“Ship That Changed the World”

Aired Thursday 3 June 2021

Five centuries ago, the Age of Exploration and Europe's imperial colonization of far-off lands was launched by a revolution in ship design that made long-distance ocean voyages practical. But exactly how this momentous innovation happened eludes historians. Now, the excavation of a rare intact wreck discovered off the coast of Sweden offers vital new clues to a maritime mystery. Along with other clues gleaned from the wreckage, the figurehead and gun carriages suggest that this could be the flagship of a Danish king named Hans. The monarch was famous for building a large naval fleet, led by a massive warship known as the Gribshunden, the Griffen Dog.

S48 E11 discussion