Phinisi ship

Indonesia’s wooden Phinisi boats were used to carry exotic spices, sandalwood and textiles through the ancient spice trading route. The boat size varies in range of 18-60 meters built of teak and ironwood. Boat builders in Sulawesi would take years to handcraft the vessels on the beach, a labor intensive yet methodical process that was guided by ritual. In December 2017, UNESCO recognised South Sulawesi’s hand-crafted sailing yachts as an ‘Intangible Cultural Heritage’.