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caravel(le) |
a sailing vessel with gently sloping bow and single
stern castle, carrying two or three masts derived from medieval ship types
with lateen sails, while later types were square rigged and had up to four
masts. Along with its shallow draft and ability to sail windward, these
qualities helped the caravel achieve fame as it was propelled across the
Atlantic and southward along the rocky western coast of Africa. This is
the vessel that was used for the majority of transatlantic exploration as
well as other famous expeditions, such as the numerous journeys made to
circumnavigate South Africa in attempts to reach India during the Age of
Discovery. |
