Ottoman Caique  (Piyade)

 

(1878)

 

               

    “Piyade Caique”  lived in the Bosphorus between the 17th – 20th century. Model has been prepared according to the scale of 1:24. The length and width of the model are 58,5cm.and 5cm. Model and its all accessories are made and built by model maker Fatih Karalar. Linden, walnut, hornbeam and ramin (tropical) trees have been used on this model. It was painted with air-brush and was ended with spray mat varnish.

 

    The plan of model was taken from “Per La Vice-Admiral Paris Collection”. All colours of this model are the same as original colours of the plan. In 1878,  the real scales of these kinds of caiques were like this: length 14m., width 1.24cm. and height 69cm. There were three pairs of oars in Piyade Caiques in general but it could be said that there were one, two and four pairs of oars too. All of oars were oiled and varnished with olive oil.The end of the oars were like the fish queue.  The behind of caiques were wide and their fore parts were tapered.

 

    There was a sharp iron in front of the fore. Their inside was never painted. Piyade Caiques were called as “the needle of the  lady” and “snake tongue”. There was a hutch among the  caiques. The oarmen were sitting on the sheepskins on the bottoms.

                                                                                                       

 

    Written by Nihat KARALAR