In this video, you will see Damian Goodburn, an international expert in ancient timber, supervising a group of Ship's Company volunteers to cleave a log into two equal pieces or possibly not!

The oak that is being split looked like a perfect specimen from the outside but as you will see the inside was clearly a different matter.

If you watch carefully you will see Martin Carver, Professor of Archaeology at the University of York, England, director of the Sutton Hoo Research Project, wielding a mallet to help with the splitting.

Video produced by timcurtis.tv

To find out more about the Sutton Hoo Ship's Company, visit the website @ saxonship.org

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