Figureheads: On the Bow of the Ship

Sue Prichard,Michell,National Maritime Museum

Figureheads: On the Bow of the Ship
Format
Hardback
Publisher
National Maritime Museum
Country
United Kingdom
Published
9 January 2020
Pages
160
ISBN
9781906367633

Figureheads: On the Bow of the Ship

Sue Prichard,Michell,National Maritime Museum

Figureheads developed from an ancient tradition of decorating vessels with painted eyes, carved figures and animal heads. Vikings in Northern Europe adorned the bows of their ships with dragon heads, which were thought to help ships see their way through the sea. But what other purposes did sailors believe figureheads served? What stories do these beautiful objects tell? And what do the different characters symbolise?

Exploring the history and traditions associated with figureheads, this illustrated guide contains 60 examples from the National Maritime Museum, home to the world’s largest collection of figureheads. With a selection of short in-focus studies, the book looks at mythology, memorial, gender, empire, politics and literature surrounding these unique carvings.

The National Maritime Museum is part of Royal Museums Greenwich.

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