Long-lost warship destroyed by iconic naval commander discovered centuries later: 'Quite remarkable'

Danish archaeologists precocious uncovered a vessel that was battered by the forces of Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson — 1 of the astir renowned naval commanders of his time.

The Viking Ship Museum successful Roskilde, Denmark, announced successful a merchandise this period that its researchers uncovered the remains of the Dannebroge, a blockship destroyed during the Battle of Copenhagen connected April 2, 1801.

The ship's remnants were recovered up of operation of the Lynetteholm project, and its find was announced connected the 225th day of the battle.

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The vessel, representing Danish-Norwegian forces, attempted to support the metropolis of Copenhagen earlier it was "heavily hit, caught occurrence and yet exploded," during the onslaught by the British, the depository said.

The conflict was fought during the Napoleonic Wars, arsenic Britain attacked Denmark to interruption a neutral confederation with different European powers that threatened British naval supremacy.

Archaeologists accidental the Dannebrog was destroyed during the 1801 conflict led by Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson, seen astatine right, against Danish-Norwegian defenses. (Vikingeskibsmuseet; VCG Wilson/Corbis via Getty Images)

Some 700 radical — the bulk of them Danish — were killed successful the battle, including astatine slightest 56 men aboard the Dannebroge, with 19 much listed arsenic missing.

Pictures from the excavation uncover a haunting array of artifacts. The items see worn shoes, idiosyncratic belongings and assorted mundane items near down — positive a quality little jaw bone.

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Otto Uldum, maritime archaeologist astatine the Danish Viking Ship Museum, said successful a merchandise helium was affirmative the remains matched the statement of the Dannebroge.

"The dimensions of the timbers correspond precisely to the drawings of the vessel that survive, and the dendrochronological dating matches the vessel’s twelvemonth of operation successful 1772," said Uldum.

Danish instrumentality typically protects shipwrecks from disturbance, but excavation was required owed to planned operation successful the area. (Vikingeskibsmuseet)

"So we are stating this with a grade of certainty that borders connected absolute. ... We person recovered Dannebroge and the remains of those who ne'er made it ashore aft the battle."

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Uldum noted that the seabed is filled with cannonballs and changeable — and excavators adjacent recovered 2 cannons.

"Even earlier the excavation began, the archaeologists knew that they mightiness brushwood quality remains successful the wreck."

"We person recovered a fig of idiosyncratic belongings," helium said. "Shoes and fragments of clothing, and assorted tiny items the sailors would person carried with them — clay pipes, azygous insignia and weapons."

Uldum added that, successful summation to the jaw bone, his squad besides discovered "several different bones, including ribs, which could precise good beryllium human."

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The remains belonged to astatine slightest 1 of the 19 men who were reported missing — thing that officials realized was a anticipation earlier they began diving.

"Even earlier the excavation began, the archaeologists knew they mightiness brushwood quality remains successful the wreck," the merchandise noted.

The find marks what researchers accidental is the archetypal archaeological introspection of a shipwreck from the Battle of Copenhagen. (Vikingeskibsmuseet; Archiv Gerstenberg/ullstein bild via Getty Images)

The Battle of Copenhagen is simply a defining infinitesimal successful Danish history, and played a portion successful shaping the nation's individuality — making the excavation particularly important for the country.

"Although the conflict is simply a cardinal lawsuit successful Danish history, nary one, to my knowledge, has examined it archaeologically until now," said Uldum. "That is really rather remarkable."

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The crushed is Denmark's long-standing argumentation of leaving historical shipwrecks undisturbed unless they are threatened, said Morten Johansen, the caput of maritime archaeology astatine the Viking Ship Museum.

The archaeologist told Fox News Digital connected April 23 that it is amerciable to "disturb, interaction oregon region worldly from these wrecks without permission."

Archaeologists recovered quality remains and cannonballs from the wreck of the Dannebrog, a warship destroyed during Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson's 1801 onslaught connected Copenhagen. (Vikingeskibsmuseet)

"The existent archaeological enactment is taking spot solely due to the fact that the wreck lies wrong an country affected by planned construction," helium noted. "When improvement threatens protected taste heritage, Danish authorities requires archaeological investigations to beryllium carried out."

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"In different words, it is not a deficiency of involvement oregon consciousness that explains wherefore this is the archetypal archaeological excavation of a shipwreck from the Battle of Copenhagen."