Single levelled ship to the left in the Dipylon style, with the verticals omitted. Very long bow projection extending in a perfectly straight line from the keel. Double-stepped forecastle lacking the usual fencing, with a four-spoked eye and several short plank protrusions from the stempost, of which the preserved ones include one immediately below the horn and two at the level of the eye. The horn has a latticed base rendered with six vertical strokes, while its outward side has a series of short projections. The sternpost has a short incurring end without decoration and two very slim steering oars. There is a single halyard just forward of the mast which is slightly inclined towards the bow. Three individuals - two at the bow and one at the stern - are handling ropes (fore- and backstays) in the process of lowering the mast. The first two hold the ropes with their left hand while carrying a sword in their right one. The second figure at the bow is sitting, similar to Louvre A 530. There are four oversized corpses: one floating face down above the bow projection, two piled on top of each other in the middle of the ship, and one facing down near the steering oars. There is a fish facing left immediately below the bow projection.

This scene confirms that the fragment from Louvre A 530 is meant to depict the lowering of the mast. The artist was liberal with the scaling of various figures. The corpses are oversized, while the figure at the stern is diminutive. The feet of the three figures handling the ropes as well as the mast and halyard all cross line B which represents the raised rail.

Basch, L. 1987. Le musée imaginaire de la marine antique. Athens: Institut Hellénique pour la preservation de la tradition nautique.

Kirk, G.S. 1949. “Ships on Geometric Vases.” BSA 44: 93-153, pls. 38-40.

Lullies, R. 1935. Antike Kleinkunst in Königsberg Pr. Königsberg: Gräfe and Unzer.

Morrison, J.S. and R.T. Williams. 1968. Greek Oared Ships: 900-322 B.C. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.