Oar
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An oar is an implement used for water-borne propulsion. Oars have a flat blade at one end. Rowers grasp the oar at the other end.
Traditional wooden oars
A pair of carbon fibre sculling oars used for sport rowing
Trophy oars of the seven founding member clubs of the Remenham Club
Galley
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A galley is a type of ship optimised for propulsion by oars. Galleys were historically used for warfare, trade, and piracy mostly in the seas surrounding Europe. It developed in the Mediterranean worl
Oar
…of rowers, or by paddlers. It is common for an oar propelled vessel to also have the option to be powered by sail, both in antiquity (for instance the galley) and more recently. Rowing oars have been used since the early Neolithic period. Wooden oars, with canoe-shaped pottery, dating from 5000–4500 BC have…
Colourised engraving of a French galley (27 pairs of oars) built according to the design that was standard in the Mediterranean from the early 17th century; Henri Sbonski de Passebon, 1690
United States ships at the Battle of Valcour Island depicting several "row galleys" similar in function but based on very different designs from Mediterranean galleys; watercolor by Charles Randle
Drawing of warships (pointed bows) and trade ships (rounded bows); based on a wall relief from the Southwest Palace at Nineveh, circa 700 BC.
The prow of a galley on a coin of the Roman Republic of the 3rd century BC