15th C. Ship Graffiti, Calatrava la Vieja, Esp

Medieval graffiti from Calatrava la Vieja, Castilla-La Mancha, Spain. Late medieval Christian period (3rd quarter 15th century CE). Located in the crypt of the Santa María La Blanca Church, inside the alcazar. The main motif is a “coca” from the later 15th C, a merchant ship etched with precision and detail, probably by a sailor who knew this type of ship well, and with this act requested the protection of the virgin, as a votive graffiti. It is an interesting drawing because it depicts the complete rigging, including the crow´s nests, the bow castle, the stern fortress, and the “codaste” rudder-an element of great importance in the history of navigation, given that its use after 1425 allowed navigation on the high seas, and gave way to the Age of Discovery. GDH Graffiti Panel 1. Hervás Herrera, Miguel Ángel (2016): Calatrava la Vieja. Conservación y Restauración (1975-2010), Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Repositorio Digital RUIDERA, Albacete, 2016, 958 págs. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10578/8711.