By: Alex DesMarais
2/8/17
Mesopotamian Sailboats
Introduction
Did you know that the ancient civilization known as Mesopotamia had made another type of boat before the sailboat? These types of boats were new to the civilization, so picking materials for the sail and the itself was crucial. They also had to figure out how to build this miraculous invention. There were also so many reasons for needing to have a sailboat in Mesopotamia other than something simpler. So, them materials for the sail and the boat were chosen during an advanced building process to make this boat better than the one before.
Materials Of The Boat And Sail The boat’s materials were gathered for many reasons. Skypoint claims, “Flexible...though it could be folded easily” (Paragraph 4). Since the material the sail was made of called papyrus was flexible it could fit in as a sail easily but still be stable. The author stated, “Although wood is a light material, its strength is quite high” (Kultur.gov, Paragraph 18). Wood being light in weight allowed them to transport and build easily. It also is strong, so the boat wouldn’t fall apart. Mesopotamians made sure for many reasons that their boat’s materials would be sturdy and strong.
Sailboat Construction
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According to the text, “Trees were cut and made into planks, and the planks were roughly shaped and joined together to make the body of the boat” (Bright Hub Engineering, Paragraph 4). They made this source into a boat that was magnificent. The author claims, “Mesopotamians made sturdy mats out of the plants and placed them in the middle of pairs of poles” (Naomi Millburn, Paragraph 3). This was a creative technique they used to create the sail. They created this building process themselves as they all worked together to build the