Greek Galley – Amati

$120.00

Greek Galliot Scale: 1:65 Length: 55 cm

Information

Greek Galley (AM1419) Scale: 1:65 Length: 55 cm

The Greek war of Independence (1821-1827) is best remembered for the naval battle of Navarino, and characterized by numerous clashes between the Greek privateers and Turkish-Egyptian ships. Agile and with shallow draught, these galleys could hide inside the narrow gulfs of the Aegean islands and then, with rapid oar strokes, attack the Turkish ships.

A galley is a type of ship that is propelled mainly by oars. The galley is characterized by its long, slender hull, shallow draft, and low freeboard (clearance between sea and railing). Virtually all types of galleys had sails that could be used in favorable winds, but human effort was always the primary method of propulsion. This allowed galleys to navigate independently of winds and currents. The galley originated among the seafaring civilizations around the Mediterranean Sea in the late second millennium BC and remained in use in various forms until the early 19th century in warfare, trade, and piracy.

Galleys were the warships used by the early Mediterranean naval powers, including the Greeks, Illyrians, Phoenicians, and Romans. They remained the dominant types of vessels used for war and piracy in the Mediterranean Sea until the last decades of the 16th century. As warships, galleys carried various types of weapons throughout their long existence, including rams, catapults, and cannons, but also relied on their large crews to overpower enemy vessels in boarding actions. They were the first ships to effectively use heavy cannons as anti-ship weapons. As highly efficient gun platforms, they forced changes in the design of medieval seaside fortresses as well as refinement of sailing warships.

Amati’s Greek Galley kit contains pre-cut keel, frames and deck; planking, masts and spars, metal and wooden fittings, wooden inlaid decorations, cloth for sails, flags, oars and metal cannons and swivel guns.

Scale 1:65
Length 21.7″ (55 cm)

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