Abstract:

It can be stated explicitly that maritime constitutes a significant culture from ancient times to present. Short water travels, which started in streams and river during archaic ages, have turn into sea travel in the course of time through the advancements in ship technology. During the periods that maritime trade gained importance, the societies that are advanced in maritime prospered. The maritime trade especially among cities of Anatolia, Aegean, Canaan, Cyprus and Egypt in Mesopotamia, Egypt, Phoenicia and ancient Greek civilizations ensured these societies to become the rich civilizations of that period. Mediterranean which is called Mare Nostrum by Romans is a sea that has the numerous sunken antiques today. Various figureheads, which were believed to have cultural value and symbolic power, have been used in the ships of different societies that were active in many seas and rivers particularly in Mediterranean basin. Among these ship figureheads, animal figureheads such as horse, camel, lion, bird, bull and ram can be seen. This may vary according to the period, culture and beliefs.

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