Figures head are those female or beastly looking carvings mounted on the prows of sailing ships. The practice began with the Vikings around 880 CE. They kept the practice alive until their power lessened around 1100 CE. The practice saw its glory days during the 16th through 19th centuries.

The figure head was placed on a ship to grant the ship luck in it life. German, Dutch, and Belgium’s felt that spirits or faeries called Kaboutermannekes, water fairies, lived in the figurehead. These spirits protected the ship against storms, rocks, sickness, and other hazards of the sea.

The practice during the late 1700’s began to loose favor with ship builders due to cost and weight considerations. Some of the figureheads prior to this time could weigh several tons. After the Napoleonic Wars the practice pretty much died out. During the 1850’s and 1860’s clipper ships did carry smaller figureheads but as steam power began to catch on figureheads dropped from almost all ships.

US warships during the late 1800’s and early 1900’s did carry a national shield and gilded scroll work. European Navies during the same times carried similar features as well. Today some warships will carry a badge or symbol on their superstructure to represent the ship in some way.