what is the woman figure on the front of an old pirate ship or clipper called?

Answer 1

Figurehead.

Answer 2

A figurehead is a carved wooden decoration, often female or bestial, found at the prow of ships of the 16th to the 19th century. The practice was introduced with the galleons of the 16th century, as although earlier ships had often had some form of bow ornamentation, the figurehead as such could not come to be until ships had an actual head structure upon which to place it.

As with the stern ornamentation, the purpose of the figurehead was often to indicate the name of the ship in a non-literate society (albeit in a sometimes very convoluted manner); and always, in the case of naval ships, to demonstrate the wealth and might of the owner. At the height of the Baroque period, some ships of the line boasted gigantic figureheads, weighing several tons and sometimes twinned on both sides of the bowsprit.

A large figurehead, being carved from massive wood and perched on the very foremost tip of the hull, adversely affected the sailing qualities of the ship. This, and cost considerations, led to figureheads' being made dramatically smaller during the 1700s, and in some cases they were abolished altogether around 1800. After the Napoleonic wars they made something of a comeback, but were then often in the form of a small waist-up bust rather than the oversized full figures previously used. The clipper ships of the 1850s and '60s customarily had full figureheads, but these were relatively small and light.

Figureheads as such died out with the sailing ship. Early steamships, however, did sometimes have gilt scroll-work and coats-of-arms at their bows. This practice lasted up until about World War I. The 1910 German liner SS Imperator originally sported a large bronze figurehead of an eagle (the Imperial German symbol) standing on a globe. The few extra feet of length added by the figurehead made the Imperator the longest ship in the world at the time of her launch.

It is still common practise for warships to carry metal badges somewhere on their superstructure which, like figureheads, relate to the ship's name- for example Type 42 Destroyers of the Royal Navy, which are named after British cities, carry badges depicting the coat of arms of their namesake.

In Germany, Belgium, and Holland, it was once believed that spirits/faeries called Klaboutermannikins (water mannikins) dwelt in the figureheads. The spirit guarded the ship from sickness, rocks, storms, and dangerous winds. If the ship sank, the Klaboutermannikin guided the sailors' souls to the Land of the Dead. To sink without a Klaboutermannikin condemned the sailor's soul to haunt the sea forever, so Dutch sailors believed.

Answer 3

Old Pirate Ship Names

Answer 4

A figurehead is any carved figure on the bow of a ship -- they're not strictly limited to women. Figureheads through the ages have included snakes, horses, eagles, unicorns, elephants, bulls, lions, and prominent politicians. Why put a figurehead on your boat? For good luck, of course. Sailors are a superstitious breed. The ancient Chinese and Egyptian sailors anointed their ships with occuli (eyes), to help them find their way across rough seas. The Phoenicians later added wooden carvings of animist deities including serpents and birds. The figureheads protected the ship, and inspired fear in the hearts of enemies. It wasn't until the late 1770s that human figures began appearing on the bow of ships. Exotic foreigners, fierce soldiers, and proud statesmen were quite popular, along with figures modeled after ship owners' wives. This probably tied into sailors' view of ships as female entities. Figurehead carving is artisan's work today -- commissioned and incredibly labor intensive. There are still active maritime woodcarvers out there, though not many have web sites.

Answer 5

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
what is the woman figure on the front of an old pirate ship or clipper called?

Answer 6

Figurehead

Answer 7

The figurehead. Sometimes it might have been given a name like Martha or Maggie May. Maybe even Gentle Annie.

Answer 8

The figurehead embodied the spirit of a ship and was originally believed to placate the gods of the sea and ensure a safe voyage.
http://seagifts.com/shipfig.html

Answer 9

It was called a Figurehead. It was beleived that the statue was what was steering the ship.

Answer 10

There is a song about it, sang by that famous British punkrock band.

IT WAS ON THE GOOD SHIP VENUS
BY CHRIST YOU SHOULD'VE SEEN US
THE FIGUREHEAD WAS A WHORE IN BED
THE MAST WAS A RAMPANT -----