Shipbuilding
Shipbuilding has long been an essential part of trade and commerce. Our repository includes textual records on ship design, along with contemporary documentation of the building process. The making of a ship involves multiple stages, from understanding commercial needs and selecting materials to drafting, carpentry, assembly, and final finishing.
Boat making brings together drawing, shaping, and skilled handwork. A design sketched on a large board is only one part of a larger process that turns wood, stone, and metal into a functional vessel. In practice, the artisan’s experience and judgement are as important as the drawing itself.
Among the important texts in this field are Yuktikalpataru, Navai Sastram, and Kappal Sastram. These works describe shipbuilding, boat components, timber quality, and related technical details. However, Shamli (2024) notes that Navai Sastram, and Kappal Sastram are primarily texts on astronomy.
Our collection currently includes copies of Navai Sastram and Kappal Sastram, as well as documentation of the kotai (a traditional, large double-masted dhow) building process.
A detailed study of the computational techniques involved in boat making, as described in texts such as Navai Sastram and Kappal Sastram, as well as in the practice of making kotai and other traditional boats, would be a valuable direction for future research.
