News by Levels · Level 3 · Student worksheet

Havmanden Artefacts Offer Different Kinds of Historical Evidence

In this lesson: Weigh physical evidence against a qualified ownership interpretation.

Name: __________________________ Date: __________________

Read the story

A November 11 museum statement describes a high-quality shoe fragment and two manillas recovered from Havmanden, which sank near Gothenburg in 1683 after a mutiny.

The manillas connect the wreck to payments in the European slave trade. The shoe’s quality suggests elite ownership, but the proposal that it belonged to a governor remains uncertain.

Source: National Museum of Denmark, 2026-11-11. https://via.ritzau.dk/pressemeddelelse/15279623/sjaelden-sko-og-slavebetaling-fundet-pa-dansk-slaveskib?lang=da&publisherId=13560791

Read and practise

1. What does the shoe’s quality suggest?

   1. A confirmed written name
   2. That the ship never sank
   3. Elite ownership

2. Which conclusion is too strong?

   1. The ship sank after a mutiny
   2. The governor definitely owned the shoe
   3. Two manillas were recovered

Your turn

Describe the evidential role of the rings and the limit of the shoe interpretation.

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Read online: https://newsbylevels.com/news/havmanden-shoe-manilla-shipwreck-find-november-2026/level-3/