DK - WOW! The Visual Encyclopedia of Everything

239

A pair of lateen

(triangular) sails

could catch

side winds

Sail made from

fibre matting

The stern post was

carved into the shape of

a swan’s neck for luck

Clippers had

dozens of sails,

making them

very fast

ROMAN MERCHANT SHIP ▶

The Romans built merchant ships

with big, round bellies that could

store large amounts of cargo. This

shape made them stable but very

slow. They were usually safe from

attack, because the Romans had rid

the Mediterranean Sea of pirates.

CLIPPER ▶

The clipper was a 19th-century trading

ship with a long, slim hull and multiple

sails. The name “clipper” was originally

a nickname for a fast horse. British and

US clippers sailed all around the world

on trading journeys.

CHINESE JUNK ▶

The stern-mounted rudder, easier to

control than a steering oar, was invented

by the Chinese, 2,000 years ago. Chinese

ships, called junks, could have up to nine

masts, and were the largest wooden

sailing ships in history.

◀ ARAB DHOW

From the 8th century, Arab

merchants and fishermen crossed

the Indian Ocean in dhows. They

sailed with the monsoon winds,

trading goods between India

and North Africa.

238_239_Exploration.indd 239 03/01/19 12:11 PM