ABSTRACT
When seeking to summarize what we have learned from the above material, we must constantly bear in mind its fragmented nature. We have no real extended description of ships or nautical activities, merely a number of largely incidental snippets of information relating to these matters always embedded in a very different context - legal, homiletic, folkloristic, etc. What we do have does not reveal anything very new and exciting, except perhaps the Greek addendum lexicis for parral (in B. Shabbat Illb), the histodeira. Our material would appear to reflect a general, rather “land-lubberly” acquaintance with the external appearance and characteristics of certain types of ships and (some of) their main parts. However, it does not suggest any real knowledge of how these ships were sailed. Thus, there is no real description of tacking, running before the wind, heaving to, handling sails in heavy weather, brailing, navigating etc. Of course, in view of the accidental nature of the survival of such information, this too may be pure chance. But more likely, it reflects the non-nautical character of Palestinian Jewish (Rabbinical?) society of the Roman period. Such conclusion is confirmed by our findings based on lexical criteria.
