MUSEUM visitors are being offered a rare glimpse into how people travelled by river 1,000 years ago - now that an old mistake has been put right.

A 1,000-year-old Viking river boat made from an oak tree log has gone on show at the Yorkshire Museum in York for the Jorvik Festival.

The 18ft boat was discovered in 1838 in the foundations of the Stanley Ferry Aqueduct, which crosses the River Calder, near Wakefield, West Yorkshire.

It went on show at the museum in the 19th Century, when it was hung on a wall and described as prehistoric. It was only when carbon dating was carried out in the 1970s that it became clear the boat was from around 950AD.

The vessel was found upside down alongside many trunks of large oak trees nearly two metres down below the river bed.

In the Viking and Medieval periods, log boats were quite common as they were easy and cheap to make, compared to other boats. They were used to cross small rivers, or lakes, and could be used to carry a small amount of livestock or goods.

Curator of archaeology Andrew Morrison said: "The tree was first cut in two, then the centre of the tree was removed and the outer part shaped to act as a boat. This boat then had 11 ribs added to strengthen the hull of the boat.

"Even though the boat is made of oak, it is very fragile and needs custom-made supports to keep it from falling apart."

The museum still has the letter written by a Mr JH Hodson, of the Aire and Calder Navigation Office, Goole, in 1840, when the boat was donated.

Published: 03/02/2005