Thecaravel (Portuguese:caravela,IPA:[kɐɾɐˈvɛlɐ]) was a smallsailing ship developed byPortugal andSpain.[1] It could be rigged either entirely withlateen sails or with a combination of lateen andsquare sails. It was known for its agility and speed and its capacity forsailing windward (beating). Caravels were used by the Portuguese and Spanish for the voyages of exploration during the 15th and 16th centuries, in theAge of Exploration.
The caravel is a poorly understood type of vessel. Though there are now some archaeologically investigated wrecks that are most likely caravels, information on this type is limited. We have a better understanding of the ships of the Greeks and Romans ofclassical antiquity than we do of the caravel.[2]: 2 [3]: 636
The long development of the caravel was probably influenced by various Mediterranean tending or coastal craft. Among these influences might have been the boats known asqârib, that were introduced to the Islamic controlled parts of IberiaAl-Andalus from theMaghreb.[4]
The earliest caravels appeared in the thirteenth century along the coasts ofGalicia andPortugal as single-masted fishing vessels.[5] They were small, lightly built vessels of up to 20 tons at most, carrying, in one example, a crew of five men. Evidence suggests that these wereopen boats. They carried a single-masted, triangularlateen sail rig. By the fourteenth century, their size had increased and their use had spread; for instance, there is mention, in 1307, of larger caravels of up to 30 tons inBiscay. Caravels were a common type of vessel in the coastal waters of theIberian Peninsula in the fifteenth century.[6]
The caravel was the preferred vessel of Portuguese explorers likeDiogo Cão,Bartolomeu Dias,Gaspar, andMiguel Corte-Real, and was also used by Spanish expeditions like those ofChristopher Columbus. They were agile and easier to navigate than the barca andbarinel, with a tonnage of 50 to 160 tons and 1 to 3masts. Being smaller and having a shallowkeel, the caravel was suited for sailing shallow coastal waters and up rivers. With the Mediterranean-type lateen sails attached it was highly maneuverable in shallow waters, while with the square Atlantic-type sails attached it was very fast when crossing the open sea. Its economy, speed, and agility made it esteemed as the best sailing vessel of its time. Its main drawback was its limited capacity for cargo and crew but this did not hinder its success.
The exploration done with caravels made thespice trade of the Portuguese and the Spanish possible. However, for the trade itself, the caravel was soon replaced by the largercarrack (nau), which could carry larger, more profitable cargoes. The caravel was one of the pinnacle ships inIberian ship development from 1400 to 1600.
The English name caravel derives from the Portuguesecaravela. The term itself is thought to originate from the Arabiccarib orqârib,[7] which in turn may trace back to the LatinLatin:carabus or the GreekGreek:κάραβος—perhaps reflecting a continuity ofcarvel construction practices over the centuries.[8]
What is believed to be the most accurate depiction of a lateen caravel, featured in the 16th centuryRetábulo de Santa Auta, now at theNational Museum of Ancient Art, in LisbonA replica of the caravelBoa Esperança in the city ofLagos, Portugal
The earliest caravels in the thirteenth century were small and are believed to have been un-decked, carrying one mast with lateen sails, while later types were larger and had two or three masts and decks. Caravels such as thecaravela tilhlda of the 15th century had an average length of between 12 and 18 m (39 and 59 ft), an average capacity of 50 to 60 tons,[9] a high length-to-beam ratio of around 3.5 to 1, and narrow ellipsoidal frame[citation needed] (unlike the circular frame of thenau), making them very fast and maneuverable[citation needed] but with a limited cargo capacity. It was in such ships that Christopher Columbus set out on his expedition in 1492, while theSanta María was a small carrack of about 150 tons and served as the flagship, thePinta andNiña were caravels of around 15–20 m with a beam of 6 m and a displacement of around 60–75 tons. TheNiña was re-rigged by Columbus with square rig to give better performance on the Atlantic crossing – most of which was following favourable winds, for which lateen was less suitable.[6]: 96
Towards the end of the 15th century, the Portuguese developed a larger version of the caravel, bearing aforecastle andsterncastle – though not as high as those of a carrack, which would have made it unweatherly – but most distinguishable for its square-riggedforemast, and three other masts bearing lateen rig. In this form it was referred to in Portuguese as a "round caravel" (caravela redonda) as in Iberian tradition, a bulging square sail is said to be round.
It was employed in coast-guard fleets near the Strait of Gibraltar and as an armed escort for merchant ships between Portugal and Brazil and in theCape Route. Some consider this a forerunner of the fightinggalleon and it remained in use until the 17th century.
Lisbon, 1572. Galleon (center) surrounded by carracks, galleys, round caravels, and caravels (lateen)
^Keith, Donald H; Carrell, Toni L, eds. (1992).Underwater Archaeology Proceedings from the Society for Historical Archaeology Conference: Kingston, Jamaica 1992. Society for Historical Archaeology.ISBN9789992087121.
^Leshikar-Denton, Margaret (2014). Catsambis, Alexis; Ford, Ben; Hamilton, Donny L. (eds.).The Oxford handbook of maritime archaeology (First issued as an Oxford University Press paperback ed.). Oxford New York Auckland Cape Town: Oxford University Press.ISBN9780199336005.
^abElbl, Martin (1994). "The Caravel and the Galleon". In Gardiner, Robert; Unger, Richard W (eds.).Cogs, Caravels and Galleons : the sailing ship, 1000-1650. London: Conway Maritime Press.ISBN0851775608.
Look upcaravel in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
The History and Development of Caravels - A Thesis - George Robert Schwarz, B.A., University of Cincinnati, Chair of Advisory Committee: Dr. Luis Filipe Vieira de Castro, May 2008
