The bow of a Luzzu, a traditional fishing boat of Marsaxlokk Malta
The luzzu is the foremost traditional fishing vessel. It is pointed at both ends and is painted in characteristic bright colours. Before the introduction of modern registration, the colour of the prow used to indicate the home port of each particular boat. The average overall length is metres and the hull material is wood. These vessels have been the mainstay of the fleet in times gone by and their average age is 37 years old. The average GT is half that of the MPV mt, and subsequently the average power is 30 kW. They are brightly painted in shades of yellow, red, green and blue, and the bows normally pointed with a pair of eyes. These eyes may be the modern survival of an ancient Phoenician custom (also practiced by the ancient Greeks); they are sometimes (and probably inaccurately) referred to as the Eye of Horus or of Osiris. The luzzu has a double-ended hull. A variant, the kajjik, is similar in appearance, but has a square transom. The design of the Luzzu, like that of another Maltese boat, the dghajsa, is believed to date back at least to the Phoenician times. The luzzu has survived because it tends to be a sturdy and stable boat even in bad weather. Originally, the luzzu was equipped with sails although nowadays almost all are motorised, with onboard diesel engines being the most common. Some luzzi have been converted to passenger carriers for tourists although the vast majority continue to be used as fishing vessels. The luzzu is one of the symbols of Malta and is featured on the reverse of the older series (1979-89) of Maltese lira notes. (Info source: )
Size: 3456px × 5184px
Location: Marsaxlokk harbour, Malta
Photo credit: © Jerry Taylor / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: boat, bow, colorful, colourful, colours, decoration, eye, eyes, fishing, front, harbor, harbour, hull, luzzu, malta, marsaxlokk, pair, pattern, symmetrical, symmetry, traditional
