Roman merchant vessels were constructed using various wood types like pine, fir, cypress and cedar for the hull, oak for the frame, and hardwood like oak for treenails. They had rounded hulls or were flat-bottomed and were built using the shell first or frame-skeleton method, joining the frames using the mortise and tenon technique. Sails were made of linen, papyrus or byssus and the exterior was tarred wool covered in lead sheeting for protection.

1. By : MR. S

2.  Introduction
 Roman Merchant Vessels in History
 Materials used in the construction
 Ship construction
 Rounded hulled / flat bottomed
 Shell First / Frame – Skeleton
 Martise and Tenon
 Bibliography

3. Relief from art depicting roman merchant ships

4. Shortcut to nemiship.lnk
Archeological evidence of the construction / techniques
used by the ancient Romans

5.  Hull – pine, fir, cypress or cedar
 Frame – oak
 Treenails – hardwood or oak
 Sails – linen, papyrus, byssus
 Exterior – tarred wool with lead sheeting

18.  http://www2.rgzm.de/navis/Themes/Commercio/CommerceEnglish.htm
 http://www.abc.se/~pa/uwa/wrekmed1.htm#Mahdia
 http://mylifeatsea.blogspot.com.es/2009/10/ancient-shipbuilding-
techniques.html
 http://thenephilimchronicles.blogspot.com.es/2011/10/ancient-ship-building-in-
greece-and.html
 http://eglewis.blogspot.com.es/2012/05/roman-merchant-ships-warhorses-
of.html
 http://100falcons.wordpress.com/2008/10/25/roman-ships/