The launches that give our vessels life
A History of Ship Launches and their Ceremonies, by George Hodgkinson
'The form varies from one country to another, according to custom and religion, but the sentiment that lies behind all launching rituals is fear', writes author George Hodgkinson, in a readable book that shows ship launches are about much more than just smashing a bottle of wine.
Taking us on a journey from ancient Greece to the present day – and bringing in cultures like Imperial Japan and the Ottoman Empire as well as European nations – we discover how the rituals around the launch of a vessel have been used to transform the dead matter in a shipyard from an 'it' into a 'she', imbuing each new vessel with luck and life to reassure those who will sail in her.
Hodgkinson illustrates his points with reference to a whole range of unusual and historic ship launches, and goes into the evolution of all kinds of different customs associated with the phenomenon.
A History of Ship Launches and their Ceremonies
By George Hodgkinson
Pen and Sword, £25
ISBN: 978 13990 49450
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