Page 14 - The Knot Bible

THE BASICS

the best habitat for the ‘marlinspike not only from country to country
sailor’. Not only did they spend the but virtually from ship to ship.
longest time at sea, thereby giving The common reef knot is variously
ample time for extra-curricular known as the square knot (US), the
activities, but there was always some reef knot (UK), the Heracles knot
tired old harpoon line for their crews (Greece), the Hercules knot (Rome),
to practise on. and the love knot (romantic
The development of knots was literature).
an international phenomenon that
spread from ship to ship regardless Symbolic knots
of nationality or religion. For, while Apart from their practical function,
it is true that sailors guarded some knots have long been used as a
of their more obscure knots like a metaphor in art and literature. The Above The knot of Heracles (otherwise
secret family recipe, any knot that Ancient Greeks and Romans were known as the reef knot) has captivated
artists since ancient times. This gold
fulfilled a useful function was soon particularly fond of the reef knot
chain dates from 300 BC.
shared to benefit the whole ship – and used it as a motif in clothing
and indeed the whole seaborne and jewellery. The knot’s neat
community. symmetry, showing two ropes in
It was also uncontrolled and equal and opposite union, made it
unregulated, which meant that the a natural choice for anyone wanting
best knots emerged in time through to represent romantic union, and it
Below The Age of Sail, when great square
trial and error and recommendation. was used in marriage rituals in both
riggers such as these sailed the world,
They also acquired different names, great civilisations. was the peak time for knot-tying.