A type of ancient Scottish or Hebridean galley; a sailing ship with oars used by Scottish Highlanders and islanders.
From Scottish Gaelic 'birlinn,' possibly related to Norse 'byrding' (burden ship) or Old Norse 'byrðingr,' reflecting the Norse influence on Scottish maritime culture. The ship itself represents cultural contact.
Birlinns were the warships of Scottish Highland and island chiefs—they combined Norse and Celtic ship-building traditions and could navigate both open seas and shallow coastal waters, making them perfect for raiding and trading!
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