Author(s)

R. Markovina

Abstract

This paper presents a historical review of work organisation, wooden materials, tools and devices used in shipbuilding in Korčula (an island in south Croatia, where Croatian shipbuilding was born), as well as the bases of manual preparation of timber built boats and ships of Korčula in the past, some of which are still used today. Keywords: historical review, wooden material, tools, Korčula’s wooden shipbuilding. 1 Introduction As is well known today, the island of Korčula is situated in the southern part of the Croatian Adriatic coast. It had, in the past, several different types of forests required for good wooden materials, especially pines, holm-oaks, mulberries, carobs and Mediterranean hackberry of which each type had its own role in the building of ships and boats. The clauses in the Statute of the island and town of Korčula from 1214 speak about the importance of these forests, whose cutting and export was strongly and strictly regulated. The building of a boat was inspected by its owner, who was at the same time the chief-shipbuilder. Depending on the type and purpose of the boat and its dimensions, the saw men prepared all wooden parts, in consistence with the ship’s proportions. Each of these wooden parts was prepared according to the chief-shipbuilder’s specification, using precisely defined tools.

Keywords

historical review, wooden material, tools, Korčula’s wooden shipbuilding.