Timber for Galleon Construction in the Eighteenth-Century Ottoman Navy

During the era of sailing ships, timber was the primary material used in ship construction. This study explores the significance of timber in the construction of galleons during the eighteenth-century Ottoman Empire. Ottoman records indicate that the main types of timber used for galleon construction were oak, pine, elm, and fir. Timber was classified based on three factors: the species of tree, the regions from which it was sourced, and the specific sections of the ship where it was utilised. Key timber supply regions included the Kocaeli Sanjak, the Biga Peninsula, Bolu, the Black Sea coastline, Rumelia, and the Aegean Sea. This research also examines the processes of timber procurement, the optimal season for logging, and the logistics of transportation and storage, all of which were crucial for shipbuilding in the eighteenth-century Ottoman Empire.