Since the early years of recorded history, figureheads have decorated the bows of vessels, to invoke beneficent guiding spirits, to ward off evil spirits, and to help insure safe passage. Damage to or loss of the figurehead was considered a bad omen, and superstitious crewmembers sometimes refused to board a vessel without one. Made by carvers whose shops were near shipyards, figureheads usually were designed to reflect the name, character, or destination of the ship. The clothing and hairstyle of this example, which once adorned the bow of an American vessel, suggest the date of its carving.

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