This article includes a list of references, related reading, or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. (June 2010) |
A balsa is a boat or ship built by various pre-Columbian South American civilizations constructed from woven reeds of the totora bulrush. They varied in size from small canoe sized personal fishing boats to large ships up to 30 metres long. They are still used on Lake Titicaca in Peru and Bolivia.
This term is also used by California archaeologists and anthropologists to refer to the woven and tied tule reed canoes used by the Native Californians in both pre-Columbian and historical eras.
See also
edit- Abora
- Kantuta Expeditions
- Kon-Tiki
- Reed boat
- Schoenoplectus acutus - common name tule
External links
edit- Tule Boat Photo Gallery
- Tule reed canoe Archived 2016-01-09 at the Wayback Machine, Ohlone, launched on Lake Merced, San Francisco
- Tule reed canoe, Modoc
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Balsas (reed boats).
Further reading
editSwall, Corinne; Nuyens III, Louis (2003). Tule reed boat workbook : a voyage of adventure. Kentfield, CA: Mother Lode Musical Theatre, Watershed Preservation Network. Archived from the original on 2011-07-27. Retrieved 2010-03-19.
