A 16th century shipwreck has been discovered off Sweden’s southeastern coast could provide “unique historical and archaeological information”, officials announced Tuesday.
The ship, which has yet to be identified, is believed to have been built in the late 1500s, which would make it older than Sweden’s iconic 17th-century warship “Vasa” on display in Stockholm after being salvaged in the 1960s.
A navy vessel found the wreck during a military exercise in late 2025 in Kalmar Strait, located between Sweden’s southeastern mainland and the Baltic Sea island of Oland.
“After dendrochronological analysis of part of the wreck, results indicate that the ship was built in the late 1500s,” the County Administrative Board in Kalmar said in a statement, referring to the scientific method of dating wood and trees.
“The shipwreck is of significant cultural historical value,” antiquarian Daniel Tedenlind said in the statement.
The site is currently under protection, monitored by the coast guard, and has been designated a historic monument. No diving, fishing or anchoring is permitted near the area.
Thanks to the Baltic Sea’s unique combination of brackish water, cold, darkness and low oxygen, many wooden shipwrecks are preserved in good condition.
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