| Pesse canoe | |
|---|---|
 The Pesse canoe | |
| Type | Dugout canoe |
| Material | Scots pine |
| Length | 298 centimetres (117 in) |
| Width | 44 centimetres (17 in) |
| Created | c. 8040–7510 BC |
| Discovered | 1955 village of Pesse |
| Present location | Drents Museum |
ThePesse canoe is the world's oldest-known boat.Carbon dating indicates that the boat was constructed during the earlyMesolithic period between 8040 BC and 7510 BC.[1] It is now in theDrents Museum inAssen,Netherlands.
The boat is adugout-style canoe measuring 298 centimetres (117 in) long and 44 centimetres (17 in) wide.[2] It was formed from a singleScots pine log.[3] Marks are present in the cavity, likely formed fromflint orantler tools.[3]
It was a suitable vehicle for inhabitants who spent much of their time hunting and fishing in a watery landscape of marshes, creeks and lakes. This is confirmed by another discovery in the region of the great riversMaas,Rhine andWaal: graves, dating back to between 5500 and 5000 BC. Judging by the food remains near the grave, the group lived on the safe heights of river dunes while using their canoes to catch pike in the river, in addition to using flint arrows to shoot birds while gathering fruits, vegetables and nuts.[4]
The boat was discovered in 1955 during the construction of the DutchA28 motorway. The route passes south of thevillage of Pesse inHoogeveen through what was apeat bog. To construct the roadbed, the peat needed to be removed, and during excavation, a crane operator came across what he believed to be a tree trunk two metres (6 ft 7 in) below the surface. Local farmer Hendrik Wanders noticed the log and took it for further inspection. He gave the boat to theUniversity of Groningen, where it was examined andfreeze dried for preservation. It was later transferred to the Drents Museum, located near the discovery site.[5][6]
A visiting Danish archaeologist questioned whether such a small boat would be seaworthy. In 2001, an exact replica was constructed by archaeologist Jaap Beuker and successfully paddled by a canoeist, proving that it did in fact function as a boat.[1]
Some also theorized that the find could have been another object, like an animal feeder.[7] Beuker noted that animals were not kept by the people from the boat's era (in fact, no domesticated farm or work animals were kept anywhere in Europe during theMesolithic[7]), so it likely was not atrough. The boat is also similar in construction to prehistoric canoes found in other countries.[2]
