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The Astonishing Reconstruction of Gertrude, the 17th Century Vasa Galleon Victim
We know what the passenger of the first and only voyage of the royal galleon Vasa looked like. Her physiognomy was reconstructed after genetic studies conducted earlier this year. Previously, it was thought that the skeleton from the Vasa ship belonged to a man.
The Vasa galleon, commissioned by Swedish King Gustavus Adolphus, set sail on its maiden voyage on August 10, 1628. However, it sailed only less than a kilometer and a half. Its first voyage ended in an instant and spectacular sinking.
The mighty ship, which was to be the flagship of the royal fleet, had a faulty design and was badly balanced. As a result, it proved extremely unstable. The very first major gust of wind caused it to heel over and start taking on water through the gunwales. It then turned over on its side and went to the bottom.
The ship was recovered in 1961. At that time, too, the remains of nearly two dozen people who died during the Vasa disaster were found on its deck. One of the skeletons, marked G, was initially taken to be that of a man. However, it was subjected to genetic testing earlier this year. Then a surprise came to light. A woman, about 25 years old, was traveling on the Vasa. What did she look like?
