Killick: A small anchor made of an elongated stone set in a wooden frame. Normally has two curved wooden timbers forming a cross as the base to this center stone, with pliable sticks rising from the base around the center stone and then tied and laced together just above the stone. Used for anchoring small boats and fishing nets. Also called killock or kellick. Either from Irish or Scottish origins.I've had a long day of meetings and no art to show for my efforts, so I thought I'd share a little piece of Newfoundland trivia with you. The photo above is a representation of a killick. These were the original anchors, used when iron anchors were not available or affordable by fishermen, both in Ireland and Scotland. As the majority of ancestors of Newfoundlanders are either British or Irish, the killick was easily replicated from the trees and rocks naturally found here.
4 comments:
What a wonderful bit of trivia. I'm a frequent lurker to your blog and really enjoy your posts as well as the quality of your artwork.
Killick is also the name of a character in Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin series. The character really is an anchor in the story, so this little bit of trivia adds something in retrospect.
Keep up the great blogging!
Nan
Welcome to my blog Nan. Its wonderful that you come by and more wonderful that you're no longer a lurker!
Interesting connection with the book, I'll have to check it out. Thanks.
I know when somebody's angling to be the Newfoundland Andy Goldsworthy! ;)
Wouldn't you agree - it wouldn't look out of place in one of his exhibitions?
Well there's lots of material to work with here Katherine! :)
And yes, it is very Goldsworthyesque - there is a starkness to his work that's a bit unsettling I find. But very appealing all the same.
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