The book offered to the reader traces the history of the development of a sailing ship over six thousand years - from ancient times to the end of the 19th century. It examines the ships of Ancient Egypt and Crete, Phenicia, Greece and Rome, as well as European, Asian and American ships. Following the main trends in the development of northern and southern European ships, the authors describe the technical and cultural factors that determined changes in the form and purpose of sailing ships - from ancient ships with identical stems and a single mast to the large and amazingly beautiful five- and six-masted ships of the 19th century. The illustrations clearly show the details of ship designs and sailing equipment of different periods.