The Skidbladner is a full size replica of the 9th century Gokstad ship, which was found in a Viking burial mound in Norway in 1880. The Vikings invented the steering oar and the keel, both of which were invaluable in their expansion westwards. Unst was one of the first places they colonised, and is rich in Viking and Norse remains. Over 50 settlements have now been identified and Unst therefore has a greater density of rural longhouses than anywhere else, including Scandinavia.