From Wet to Dry: The Assessment and Conservation of the Gribshund Figurehead

The Gribshund was the Danish King Hans’ flagship and one of a fleet of ships on the way to Kalmar to discuss the restoration of the Kalmar Union between Denmark, Norway and Sweden. After anchoring up in the archipelago off the coast of Ronneby in Blekinge, fire swept through the ship and she sank in 10 metres of water. In the 1970s, almost 500 years later, the wreck was found. The chimeric figurehead, resembling a griffin with what appears to be a person in its sharp-toothed mouth, was raised in 2015 and was an international sensation. The wreck is undoubtedly one of the best preserved examples of a carrack; the type of ship used by Columbus and in the golden age of discovery. Closer to home it may be argued that the Gribshund and the ships sailing with her formed part of the nascent Danish navy. Due to this archaeological and historical importance, it was decided that the figure head should be conserved for exhibition and posterity.