Denis ParaskevatosMaster Craftsman

No. XVIII

The Penteris (Work in Progress)

Ancient Greek warship (work in progress)

The Penteris (Work in Progress): Rigged with sails July 2021
Rigged with sails July 2021
The Penteris (Work in Progress): Rigged with sails July 2021
Rigged with sails July 2021
The Penteris (Work in Progress): Rigged with sails July 2021
Rigged with sails July 2021
The Penteris (Work in Progress): Rowers and sails
Rowers and sails
The Penteris (Work in Progress): Rowers and sails
Rowers and sails
The Penteris (Work in Progress): Rowers and sails
Rowers and sails
The Penteris (Work in Progress): Bow view
Bow view
The Penteris (Work in Progress): Stern deck
Stern deck
The Penteris (Work in Progress): Stern
Stern
The Penteris (Work in Progress): Hull and outriggers
Hull and outriggers
The Penteris (Work in Progress): On the kitchen bench
On the kitchen bench
The Penteris (Work in Progress): On the kitchen bench
On the kitchen bench
The Penteris (Work in Progress): On the kitchen bench
On the kitchen bench
The Penteris (Work in Progress): On the kitchen bench
On the kitchen bench
The Penteris (Work in Progress): On the kitchen bench
On the kitchen bench
The Penteris (Work in Progress): From the bow
From the bow
The Penteris (Work in Progress): From the bow
From the bow
The Penteris (Work in Progress): From the bow
From the bow
The Penteris (Work in Progress): Rowers being fitted
Rowers being fitted
The Penteris (Work in Progress): Rowers being fitted
Rowers being fitted
The Penteris (Work in Progress): Hull from above
Hull from above
The Penteris (Work in Progress): Rowers from above
Rowers from above
The Penteris (Work in Progress): Rower figures
Rower figures
The Penteris (Work in Progress): Rower figures
Rower figures
The Penteris (Work in Progress): Denis at work
Denis at work
The Penteris (Work in Progress): Denis at work
Denis at work
The Penteris (Work in Progress): Denis at work
Denis at work
The Penteris (Work in Progress): Denis at work
Denis at work

A penteris, or “five”, was one of the large oared warships that followed the trireme in the Greek and Hellenistic navies.

In January 2020 the Centre for Eye Research Australia reported that Denis, then 80, was at work on his 33rd ship. It was an ancient penteris of about 9,000 pieces, with 320 oarsmen over five levels, and the most ambitious project he had attempted. He was building it at his kitchen bench in Melbourne’s northern suburbs, relying on his left eye and a magnifying glass after losing the sight of his right eye to macular degeneration.

The build

These photographs follow the build from August 2020 to July 2021:

  • the open hull, with oar ports and outriggers in place;
  • rows of rowers being fitted, each one cast by Denis in polyurethane from moulds of his own design and given separate movable arms fixed with tiny nails;
  • the ram fitted at the bow, and the masts stepped and rigged;
  • the sails bent on in July 2021.

The penteris is shown here as a work in progress. Its specifications will be added when the model is finished.