BBC: The medieval-era boats hiding in the River Foyle, Northern Ireland

[abqtommy]

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-60866202

[Every so often, when conditions allow, archaeologists are rewarded with another offering from the distant past. Two more boats, understood to be from the medieval-era, have emerged from the River Foyle. The boats, known as logboats or dugout boats, were found
at a "dugout boat hotspot" near the Lifford Bridge.

snip

Marine archaeologist Dr Niall Gregory said the two boats now bring the total number found at this particular section of the river to 15. Overall, 21 such boats have been found at the confluence (meeting point) of the rivers Mourne and Finn into the River Foyle. Logboats are made from hollowed-out trees and can vary in size depending on the tree trunk used,
Dr Gregory told BBC News NI.

snip

About 500 logboats have been found across the island of Ireland, he said. One of the largest recorded was found in lower Lough Erne and measured nearly 60ft (18m) long and 3.2ft (1m) wide. "These two boats found at the Lifford Bridge site were cargo ferry boats," he said. "These boats were designed as work horses, to move and manoeuvre with some degree of agility within a moderate to strong current.

snip

Logboats are "notoriously difficult" to date based upon hull size and shape alone, and carbon dating is the only definitive means of obtaining a conclusive date. Dr Gregory estimates - based on the hull shape, use of medieval nails, distorted wood grain and remains of sapwood on the exterior - that they are of a medieval-era. Previous boats found at the site have been dated from between 600 AD to 1520 AD, he said. Dr Gregory believes these boats, from their characteristics, are more likely to be later rather than earlier in that range.]

There's more text and photos at the link. These types of articles always interest me. I
have edited the text to maximize the information provided in this OP and still meet our
4-paragraph rule.

[trusty elf]

1. That the word "confluence" has to be explained,

I find kinda sad. Even if you'd never heard it before, it wouldn't take too much imagination to figure out what it means, given the context.

[YDogg]

4. That was my initial reaction, also.

[Glorfindel]

2. Fascinating article.

Thanks for sharing, abqtommy!

[niyad]

3. Thank you for sharing this fascinating information.