ABSTRACT
This chapter considers the interpretation of closed packings of personal belongings found on the Swedish warship Vasa. The analysis concentrates on three major areas of investigation: the nature and variety of the containers used, the contents of the packings, and the physical placement of the packings within the ship. A variety of containers were used on Vasa; these could serve as furniture as well as containers. The contents show patterns of grouping and usage that suggest typical practice, with idiosyncratic inclusions that reveal the individuality of the owners. The placement suggests that rather than being a chaotic, unfinished place, the interior of Vasa was already being organised into a working, living, and active storage space fit for sea.
