Before entering the collection of the Onega Historical and Memorial Museum, this ship’s bell was used on the Maria cargo yacht. The vessel belonged to Yakov Feoktistovich Bokin, a native of the Pomor village of Nimenga, Onega Uyezd. The future shipowner and carpenter was born in 1874. According to the documents from 1914, the ship was built in 1897 from pine and spruce wood and sheathed in copper.
According to the dictionary of Vladimir Ivanovich Dal, the Russian word “rynda” meaning “ship’s bell” was originally used to refer to the ringing of the bell. Later, it came to designate the bell itself. The bell was struck every half hour to indicate the time, as well as to sound a fire alarm and to send a signal in foggy conditions. Eight strikes of the bell signaled the end of a four-hour watch.
The British began to use ship bells in the 15th or 16th century. Gradually, all European maritime powers adopted the use of the bell. In Russia, the ship’s bell came into use during the time of active shipbuilding under Peter the Great.
In 1720, the Maritime Charter Concerning Proper Governance of the Naval Fleet was introduced. It paid special attention to various signals and methods of signaling, such as flags, pennants, cannons, and guns. The section on “Alarms in Foggy Conditions” read,
