Last week, an ancient canoe was lifted from the bottom of the Neman River nearby the village of Nikolaevo (Ivye district, Grodno region). This work was done by joint expedition of the NASB Institute of History, the Marine Pegas diving center, and participants of the 4X4 jeep forum. Dendrochronological dating of the canoe was held at the NAS of Belarus. The research showed that the canoe was made approximately in 1500-1510.

Maxim Yermokhin, Candidate of Biology, Leading Researcher of the Laboratory of Productivity and Sustainability of Plant Communities of V.F. Kuprevich Institute of Experimental Botany, NAS of Belarus, led the research. It was established that the oak from which the ancient boat was made was about 300 years at the moment of its logging. Consequently, the tree began to grow at the very beginning of the 13th century.

Currently, the canoe is located at the Institute of History of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus for conservation activities and preparation for future exhibiting.