A crow's nest is a structure in the upper part of the main mast of a ship or a structure that is used as a lookout point. On ships, this position ensured the widest field of view for lookouts to spot approaching hazards, other ships, or land by using the naked eye or optical devices such as telescopes or binoculars. It should not be confused with the top, the platform in the upper part of each lower mast of a square-riggedsailing ship.
1867 illustration of a crow's nest on a traditional ship with a lookout holding up a telescopeCrow's nest on a tugboat.
The form of crow's nest used by the ancient Greeks and Romans was the carchesium (Greek: καρχήσιον, karkhḗsion), named after a supposed similarity to a kind of ritual wine goblet.
According to William Scoresby Jr., the crow's nest was invented in the 19th century by his father, William Scoresby Sr., a whaler and also an Arctic explorer.[1] However, Scoresby Sr. may simply have made an improvement on existing designs.[2] Crow's nests appear in Egyptian reliefs as early as 1200 BC and on eighth to seventh century BC representations of Phoenician, Etruscan, and Boiotian ships.[3] The crow’s nest disappears completely from depictions of ships after the seventh century, although the relationship between a raised vantage point and better visibility continued to be well understood. Theon of Smyrna wrote that by climbing the mast of a ship, one could see land that is invisible to those on deck.[3]
The first recorded appearance of the term was in 1807, used to describe Scoresby Sr.'s barrel crows nest platform.[citation needed] According to a popular naval legend, the term derives from the practice of Viking sailors, who carried crows or ravens in a cage secured to the top of the mast. In cases of poor visibility, a crow was released, and the navigator plotted a course corresponding to the bird's flight path because the bird invariably headed "as the crow flies" towards the nearest land.[4] However, other naval scholars have found no evidence of the masthead crow cage and suggest the name was coined because Scoresby's lookout platform resembled a crow's nest in a tree.[5]
Since the crow's nest is a point far away from the ship's center of mass, rotational movement of the ship is amplified and could lead to severe seasickness, even in accustomed sailors. Therefore, being sent to the crow's nest was also considered a punishment.[citation needed]
Other usesedit
A caboose with a crow's nest (aka angel seat)
In classic railroadtrains, the box-like structure above the caboose, the cupola, was also called the crow's nest. It served for observation of the whole train when in motion.[6]
In hunting, a crow's nest is a blind-like structure where a hunter or a pair of hunters commit themselves to stalking game. A crow's nest is not a normal type of purchasable blind, but an improvised position, built by using locally discovered natural flora (tree branches, moss, snow (during winter) or sand (during summer), etc.). A crow's nest works in most environments and provides a good lookout point (hence the name) when built in an elevated position like a hillside or top of a hill.
The term is sometimes used metaphorically for the topmost structures in buildings, towers, etc. Such structures are often referred to as a Widow's walk.
Referencesedit
^Scoresby, William (1828). Journal of a voyage to the northern whale-fishery; including researches and discoveries on the eastern coast of West Greenland, made in the summer of 1822, in the ship Baffin of Liverpool. A. Constable and Company. p. 470.
^Gillies, Robert Pearse (1826). Tales of a Voyager to the Arctic Ocean, Volume 2. H. Colburn. p. 11.
^ abBay, Stephen (2013). The Encyclopedia of Ancient History (1st ed.). Blackwell Publishing Ltd. pp. 4715–4716. doi:10.1002/9781444338386.wbeah21223. ISBN9781405179355.
^. Archived from the original on 2020-05-16. Retrieved 2012-07-30.
^Word, World Of The Written (February 13, 2011). "World of the Written Word: THE CROW'S NEST".
crow, nest, other, uses, crows, nest, disambiguation, crow, nest, structure, upper, part, main, mast, ship, structure, that, used, lookout, point, ships, this, position, ensured, widest, field, view, lookouts, spot, approaching, hazards, other, ships, land, us. For other uses see Crows Nest disambiguation A crow s nest is a structure in the upper part of the main mast of a ship or a structure that is used as a lookout point On ships this position ensured the widest field of view for lookouts to spot approaching hazards other ships or land by using the naked eye or optical devices such as telescopes or binoculars It should not be confused with the top the platform in the upper part of each lower mast of a square rigged sailing ship 1867 illustration of a crow s nest on a traditional ship with a lookout holding up a telescopeCrow s nest on a tugboat Contents 1 History 2 Other uses 3 References 4 External linksHistory editThe form of crow s nest used by the ancient Greeks and Romans was the carchesium Greek karxhsion karkhḗsion named after a supposed similarity to a kind of ritual wine goblet According to William Scoresby Jr the crow s nest was invented in the 19th century by his father William Scoresby Sr a whaler and also an Arctic explorer 1 However Scoresby Sr may simply have made an improvement on existing designs 2 Crow s nests appear in Egyptian reliefs as early as 1200 BC and on eighth to seventh century BC representations of Phoenician Etruscan and Boiotian ships 3 The crow s nest disappears completely from depictions of ships after the seventh century although the relationship between a raised vantage point and better visibility continued to be well understood Theon of Smyrna wrote that by climbing the mast of a ship one could see land that is invisible to those on deck 3 The first recorded appearance of the term was in 1807 used to describe Scoresby Sr s barrel crows nest platform citation needed According to a popular naval legend the term derives from the practice of Viking sailors who carried crows or ravens in a cage secured to the top of the mast In cases of poor visibility a crow was released and the navigator plotted a course corresponding to the bird s flight path because the bird invariably headed as the crow flies towards the nearest land 4 However other naval scholars have found no evidence of the masthead crow cage and suggest the name was coined because Scoresby s lookout platform resembled a crow s nest in a tree 5 Since the crow s nest is a point far away from the ship s center of mass rotational movement of the ship is amplified and could lead to severe seasickness even in accustomed sailors Therefore being sent to the crow s nest was also considered a punishment citation needed Other uses edit nbsp A caboose with a crow s nest aka angel seat In classic railroad trains the box like structure above the caboose the cupola was also called the crow s nest It served for observation of the whole train when in motion 6 In hunting a crow s nest is a blind like structure where a hunter or a pair of hunters commit themselves to stalking game A crow s nest is not a normal type of purchasable blind but an improvised position built by using locally discovered natural flora tree branches moss snow during winter or sand during summer etc A crow s nest works in most environments and provides a good lookout point hence the name when built in an elevated position like a hillside or top of a hill The term is sometimes used metaphorically for the topmost structures in buildings towers etc Such structures are often referred to as a Widow s walk References edit Scoresby William 1828 Journal of a voyage to the northern whale fishery including researches and discoveries on the eastern coast of West Greenland made in the summer of 1822 in the ship Baffin of Liverpool A Constable and Company p 470 Gillies Robert Pearse 1826 Tales of a Voyager to the Arctic Ocean Volume 2 H Colburn p 11 a b Bay Stephen 2013 The Encyclopedia of Ancient History 1st ed Blackwell Publishing Ltd pp 4715 4716 doi 10 1002 9781444338386 wbeah21223 ISBN 9781405179355 navy mil Archived from the original on 2020 05 16 Retrieved 2012 07 30 Word World Of The Written February 13 2011 World of the Written Word THE CROW S NEST A Brief History of the Train Archived from the original on 25 July 2010 External links edit nbsp Media related to crow s nest at Wikimedia Commons Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Crow 27s nest amp oldid 1160923987, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
