Not many boats survive the hardships of time for so long, so this is worth a remark here.
Fishermen from Drogheda found the canoe at the Boyne river in Ireland, not far from the famous site of Newgrange.
The canoe is 3 meters long and 61 cm wide with a hook at one of the extremes, what may mean it was used as vehicle for a single individual or as cargo transporter, the hook serving maybe to tie a rope for it to be towed.
It is believed to date from c. 5000 years ago (Chalcolithic period in pan-European chronology), though research is still ongoing.
Source: Independent (found via Archeology in Europe).
It looks fairly sophisticated. You realise I have no difficulty accpeting dugouts as old as 5000 years, or even as much as 7000 years. I'm extremely sceptical of claims for even earlier dugouts. They're not easy to manufacture.
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