The lowly bilge pump plays a significant role in saving a ship during casualties; even when parts of the ship crucial for propulsion and maneuvering do not work, and water is leaking through the seams and filling the hold, it is still possible to save the ship and people’s lives by pumping the water out.
Excavation of the Gagliana grossa, which sunk in 1583 near the Gnalić islet off the coast of Croatia, yielded an interesting find in 2016 – a rectangular wooden object with smooth edges, stepped on the bottom and vertically perforated through the middle. Based on historical sources and archaeological data, the object was identified as the foot of the bilge suction pump. It was surrounded by upright positioned planks, forming a structure interpreted as a pump well.
Model by: Kotaro Yamafune
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