Updated at: 23-09-2021 - By: Lucas

Ships have been used by humans for a very long time. These ships have been used for different purposes such as traveling to other countries, going to the beach or just enjoying the sea. There are many different kinds of ships and each of them has different features. 

In today’s article, we are going to talk about three kinds of ancient ships that were used by humans hundreds of years ago. We hope that after reading this article, you will learn something new about these types of ships.

Logboat

Logboat Ships

A logboat is basically a long, skinny canoe with a wooden floor. It was invented in the early 1900s by an American named George W. Blunden. He called his invention a “floating barge”. Later, he changed the name to “logboat”. The idea of a logboat is to use it as a floating platform to dump waste into the water. 

The boat has a wooden floor with cleats nailed down on the bottom. You can use any type of wood you want for the floor. Oak is probably the most common type of wood used for this purpose. There are two types of cleats used. The first type are “gudgeons” which are large metal plates that are hammered into the bottom of the boat. 

The other type are wooden blocks that are driven into the bottom of the boat.  When the boat is capsized, the weight of the water is supported by the wooden floor. This keeps the boat from being destroyed by the weight of the water.

Skin boat

A skin boat is a type of small, flat-bottomed boat made from animal skins sewn together. The word “skin” is used because the bottoms are made from the tanned hides of various animals. They are usually propelled by one or two long paddles called oars.

Skin boats were originally used by natives in the South Pacific Islands for fishing and other leisure activities. Nowadays, they are still used for similar purposes, but they are also popular as recreational boats. They are easy to row, easy to maintain, and have a low center of gravity. That means they are stable and safe for beginners to use, even for children.

Reed boat

These boats are flat bottomed and have two parallel rows of paddles. They are designed for shallow water, so they are not seaworthy. They are often used for fishing in rivers and other inland waters. The paddles are driven by a person sitting in the stern with his legs straddling the two rows.

A reed boat is made from cane or bamboo. It has a wide, flat bottom and is designed to be paddled easily in shallow water. There are no sharp edges or projections to catch on weeds or rocks. The wide, flat bottom makes it easy to walk or stand on the boat. This type of boat is easy to launch and recover too. It can be moved by one person. A single person can easily propel and steer this type of boat.

Egyptian Ship

Egyptian ship

This is one of the earliest types of boats known to man. It was originally designed by the Egyptians thousands of years ago. The Egyptians used it for transporting people and goods. It was later adopted by the Greeks and the Romans. These boats were extremely useful for their time. They could transport tons of cargo over long distances. However, the Egyptians didn’t design these boats with aesthetics in mind. They were only concerned with function.

Today, we take these types of boats for granted. We use them for leisure and recreation as well as transportation. These types of boats are still in widespread use all around the world. You can find them in the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, along the coastlines of South America and Asia, and even in the inland waterways of Africa and Europe. These types of boats are perfect for exploring the remote rivers, lakes and seas of the world.

Trireme

A trireme is a type of ancient Roman ship with three levels of oarsmen. The bottom row of oarsmen would be called “pilots” because they would use their long oars to control the speed of the vessel. In between each pair of pilots were two oarsmen who were called “steerers” because they would use their shorter oars to keep the ship going straight. 

The topmost row of oarsmen were called “trierarchs” because they used their long oars to maintain direction and to assist the pilots in controlling the speed of the vessel.

The trireme was the workhorse of the ancient Roman navy and was the basis for all later types of warships. This type of boat was very seaworthy and could be rowed either forward or backward. It also had a sharp bow and stern, which made it ideal for cutting through the waves and making long voyages.

Roman merchant ship (corbita)

Roman merchant ship (corbita)

A Roman merchant ship was a type of ship built by the Romans which was used extensively throughout the Mediterranean Sea during the ancient world. The design of these ships was so successful that it was later copied by many other cultures, especially those in Asia and Africa.

These types of ships were extremely seaworthy, fast, and could carry a large amount of cargo. They had two masts, one at each end. There were no decks, but rather, the cargo area was enclosed within the hull of the ship. The cargo was secured with ropes and secured with wooden or metal pins. This type of pinning was very different from the kind used on an American merchant ship. On an American ship, the cargo is secured with chains.

On a Roman merchant ship, the cargo was usually merchandise that needed to be sold quickly. The merchandise would be packed tightly into the hold of the ship to maximize space.

Junk

A junk ship is a large, ocean going vessel that is retired from commercial shipping and is no longer seaworthy. Then, it is converted into a mobile home and used to transport cargo around the world. Junk ships are used in many developing countries where there is little or no infrastructure for a standard shipping container.

There are several advantages to using a junk ship instead of a container ship or freight ship. For one thing, a junk ship can carry much more cargo than a container ship or freighter. For another, a junk ship does not need to be cleaned before it is put back in service. This means that it can be used almost immediately. 

A junk ship also has much lower operating costs than a container ship or freighter. Plus, junk ships are safer than other types of vessels. They are built with much thicker hulls and have much higher safety standards than other types of vessels. This makes them virtually unsinkable.

Viking ship

A Viking ship is a type of boat that was used by the Vikings. The name comes from the fact that they were thought to resemble the ships the Vikings used when they raided other countries. These boats were used for fishing and trading, but also for war. They were built with a flat bottom and high sides to allow them to ride out the big waves that were normal in the waters where they were used.

They were built with a single mast, but sometimes had a small foremast on the bow. A Viking ship could be as little as 20 feet long, or as large as 120 feet. They were built with a variety of different types of hulls, but most often they were constructed with a round or oval shaped bottom. This type of hull was stronger than a flat bottom, but was also harder to control.

A Viking ship was steered with a steering oar that was operated by the helmsman standing amidships. The steering oar was connected to a tiller that turned a rudder at the stern.

Dhow

Dhow

A dhow is a traditional sailing vessel from the Indian Ocean. It was originally designed for trading purposes and has been adapted for use by fishermen. Nowadays, it is used for pleasure cruising in warm waters all over the world.

Dhow cruises usually last for a week or more and the itinerary will vary depending on the individual owner and the weather conditions at the time. Most often, the owner will anchor off the coast somewhere and then the guests will enjoy snorkeling, diving and other water sports.

Cog

A cog-shaped ship is a type of ship that has a series of cogs which interlock with similar cogs on the stern of the ship. This type of vessel was first used by the British in the 17th century. It was used mostly as a merchant vessel and also as a troop transport. The name “cog” comes from the shape of the interlocking teeth.

Today, cog-ships are used for both commercial and leisure purposes. They are also used for fishing and diving because they are very stable. They are perfect for long-term cruising and are great for families.

Galley

A galley-ship is a boat with a single mast and a square or rounded stern. It was developed by the British in the 17th century and used mainly by Royal Navy vessels. The galley-ship was a cheap and effective warship, but it had some drawbacks. One of those drawbacks was that it was slow. The other drawback was that it was difficult to maneuver.

Because of this, the galley-ship was phased out in favor of the more modern and efficient ships with multiple masts and raked or angled sterns. However, the galley-ship has been kept in service by a few private owners and is still used by a few commercial shipping companies.

Caravel

Caravel

A caravel is a small, two-masted sailing vessel with lateen sails that was developed in Portugal and Spain in the 15th century. It was the first practical type of sailing ship to have two masts. The name comes from “caravella” which is the Italian word for “little boat”.

A caravel is a type of barque, which means it has a flat bottom and high sides. A barque has three masts and is much larger than a caravel. Barques were used for ocean-going cargo ships and caravels were used for coastal trade. 

Caravels were used for long-distance voyages because of their shallow draft and light weight. They could be sailed close to the wind and had a hull shape that was ideal for exploring unknown coasts. They were also cheap to build and maintain.

Carrack

The carrack is a ship from the 16th century that was designed with a central mast. This type of ship was extremely effective because it could tack against the wind. That means that it could sail directly into the wind to quickly gain speed and then tack away from the wind to go in a different direction.

This type of ship was especially useful for sailing to and from the spice islands in the Indian Ocean. It was also used in the Mediterranean and Atlantic oceans. These ships were very common until the 19th century. Nowadays, you won’t see them used much at all. They are interesting to look at, but they are not practical for use today.

Galleon

The galleon is a ship with two masts and lateen sails that was used by the Spanish and Portuguese navies from about 1560 to 1650. It was also used by some merchant ships until the early 19th century. Galleons were especially useful in the Far East because of the winds there. You could tack back and forth across the ocean using only the power of the wind and not having to stop for supplies or repairs.

The galleon was used as a model for the clipper ship, which was used to great effect in the 19th century trade between America and Asia. The galleon has three main advantages over the square-rigged ship. 

First, it is much faster, especially when sailing against the wind. Secondly, it is much more stable and can be handled by a crew of only two men. And thirdly, it has a very large cargo capacity for its size. That means you can put a lot of cargo on board and still have plenty of room for your own supplies and equipment.

Flute ship

Flute ship

A flute ship is a type of boat that was originally designed for military use. The name “flute” comes from the shape of the hull which resembles a long, slender tube. This type of hull design makes the boat very seaworthy and also allows it to plane easily. In other words, the boat will go up and down with the waves, but will remain stable in a straight-line direction.

Flute ships were originally designed for use by the U.S. Navy. However, they are now used all over the world by commercial and private owners. These types of boats are easy to operate and extremely durable. They are perfect for any type of water activity. You can use them for fishing, cruising, diving, snorkeling, or just plain fun!

FAQS

What is the oldest boat in the world?

The oldest surviving boat in the world is the Holmegaard Bow Figurehead from Denmark, which was carved around 400 AD. It is now on display at the National Museum of Denmark in Copenhagen. 

How were ships powered in ancient?

The ancient Greeks and Romans did not use sails. Instead, ancient ships were powered by rowing and were steered by a rudder and oars. When the Vikings invaded England in the 8th century, they brought with them their seafaring skills and knowledge of shipbuilding.

What power was used by early ships?

The main source of power was the wind. The yards of a square-rigged sailing ship were turned into the wind after the sails were raised. The wind then filled the sails and the ship moved forward. 

What were ancient ships made of?

Ancient ships were made from a variety of materials, depending on the purpose of the ship and the location. The most common materials used were wood and reeds. Wood was used for the frame, or structural parts of the ship. Reeds were used for buoyancy.

Who built the first ship?

Although the first boat was probably built by the Sumerians of the Mesopotamia region, the first seaworthy ship was built by the Egyptians about 3,200 years ago.

Conclusion

Ships are really important for humans. They help us travel to other countries, they help us trade with each other, and they help us explore new lands. Ancient ships have been discovered all over the world. They were used for different purposes back then and they are still in use today. There are many different kinds of ancient ships.

Hopefully, this article will give you a little insight about some of the ancient ships that have been discovered around the world.