Ursa's World
On the following pages are examples of ships and maps and artifacts from the ancient world of Ursa's time. These may help you get a better picture of what sea travel was like, and life was like so long ago.
Alone at sea.
On tiny ships such as this, and without instruments of any kind, ancient world seafarers plied the seas. They traveled to places far more distant than previously thought and spread culture across the known world. This ship, the Kyrenia II, is a modern reproduction of a small coaster (a little ship that works along the coast) which was wrecked off Kyrenia about 300 BC. Ursa's ship was would have looked much like this one, but was a full seagoing vessel and would have been a little bigger, about half again as long.
Another view.
The Kyrenia II sailing along close-hauled (against the wind) on a port tack (wind coming from the port or left side). The Kyrenia II sails very well and is a handy vessel (easy to work) and can move along at six miles per hour in a steady breeze, four is more common; that's 50 miles in a twelve hour sailing day, 100 miles if they sail through the night and steer by the stars. Notice the eyes on her bow. They guided her through fogs and storms and dark nights and frightened away sea monsters. And at the stern (rear) you can see the steering oar. The rudder would not be invented until the Middle Ages.
Learn more about ancient world merchant ships.
Learn about ancient world warships.
See maps of Ursa's world.
Learn about everyday life in Ursa's world.
See everyday objects and feminine beauty from Ursa's world.
How advanced were Mycenaean Age mariners? Could they have sailed as far as Britain?