The Rus Project

In 1977, a ship wreck, hundreds of years old, was found near the Island of Lapuri in the Gulf of Finland. The wreck is in a relatively good condition and it has been surveyed by marine-archaeological diving. The construction resembles that of a Viking ship. It is 12 meters long and 3 meters wide.

During 1991-93 a full-scale replica of the Lapuri wreck was built on the Island of Replot in the Gulf of Bothnia. The replica was named Rus. (Vikings were called Rus by the Arabs.) The project was carried out in 10th century tapping, as a marine-archaeological experiment, to understand the shipbuilding technique and seafaring of the Vikings. Project members, e.g. made handwrought nails, ropes of hair, wove woollen sails and curried fells of elk for the crew to sleep on. Even the food on board resembled that of the Viking age.

In summer 1994, we made a long cruise on the Baltic Sea. Unfortunately, the rudder came loose outside the Latvian coast and the ship got wrecked. The project and its dramatic end is documented in the book The Rus Project (1996, available in English, Swedish and Finnish language).

In winter 1995-96 we built a new replica. The new ship was named Heimløsa Rus and it was launched in summer 1996. Thereafter we started our sailing through Europe: on the Baltic Sea, the North Sea, in the Channel (Finland, Sweden, Germany, England) and on the rivers of France. In summer 1998 we sailed on the Mediterranean (Italy, Greece, Turkey) and in 1999 on the Black Sea (Ukraine, Russia). Our "conquest" continued in summer 2000 along the Russian rivers Don and Volga to Astrakhan. From Astrakhan our ship was transported by truck to Vyborg, in Russian Carelia. In 2001 we sailed to Sibbo, in Finland. Since autumn 2001 Heimløsa Rus is owned by the Ostrobothnian Museum in Vasa, Finland

Since 1994 we have also built and sailed dug out boats (aspings). According to a 10th century text of the Byzantine emperor the Rus used dug out boats when sailing on the Russian rivers in the East. Our work resulted in 2002 in a scientific book about ancient seafaring in the East.

The Rus project is a multi-cultural project based on voluntary work. It is not supported by public subscriptions. Our activity is related to experimental work with ancient seafaring.

For more information please contact project leader:

Fredrik Koivusalo
Taimis väg 8
FIN - 25630 Finby
gsm: +358-500-860545
email: fredrik.koivusalo@gmail.com

Association Rus Farers thanks you for your interest