Work on the sewage system in Wijk bij Duurstede in Utrecht province has turned up rare remnants of what may be a Viking ship from the 8th century, local media reported.

A beam sticking out of the ground drew the attention of an amateur archaeologist who reported it to the council, which then called in a team of experts.

The beam may have been part of a Viking ship, its shape and markings suggest, and pottery shards also point to the Carolingian period, (700 to 800 AD)

The beam, which is 3 metres and 20 centimetres long but may have been longer, has been excavated and stored for further investigation.

“We have not ruled out that this is a medieval cog from the 13th century,” archaeologist Anne de Hoop said. “The beam will be cleaned and then a tree-ring dating test will tell us more about its age,” she said.

Vikings raided the Dutch coast for the first time in 810 AD. In 834, they are thought to have conquered the important trade centre of Dorestad, which was located on the site of present-day Wijk van Duurstede. It is the first time a Viking ship has been found there.

The beam will go on show at the local Dorestad Museum after the investigations have been completed some months from now.