The Venetian Arsenal

Greg Martin

The First Factory in the World

The Venetian Arsenal

As in the Arsenal of the Venetians

Boils in winter the tenacious pitch

To smear their unsound vessels over again

For sail they cannot; and instead thereof

One makes his vessel new, and one recaulks

The ribs of that which many a voyage has made

One hammers at the prow, one at the stern

This one makes oars and that one cordage twists

Another mends the mainsail and the mizzen…

Dante, The Divine Comedy

Table of Contents

• History of the Venetian Arsenal

– Pre-Industrial Conditions

– Arsenale

– Arsenale Nuovo

• Management

– Early Management

– Management Transitions

– Management Structure

Table of Contents• Functional Areas

• Worker Structure

• Shipbuilding Capabilities

– Arsenale Capabilities

– Comparison to Other Nations

• Side Benefits

– Shipbuilding Improvements

– Innovation

• Conclusion

IntroductionThe Venetian Arsenal was

a precursor to the Industrial

Age factory. Tiered

management organization

allowed different trades to

work together on projects, and

this allowed the creation of

interchangeable and standardized

components and ensured Venice’s

dominance of the Mediterranean in the

medieval period.

Pre-Industrial Conditions

• Europe used the craft system and guild system

• Lack of specialists

• Items generally manufactured by the end user

Arsenale

• Arsenale created in 1104

• Largest industrial complex in Europe prior to

the Industrial Revolution

• Mainly used to maintain privately-built ships

• Different areas of the Arsenal each produced a

particular prefabricated ship part or other

maritime implement

• Allowed all items required for shipbuilding and

outfitting to be kept at one location

Arsenale Nuovo

• Arsenale Nuovo began in 1320

• Expanded greatly the workyards and storeyards of the older Arsenale

• Final changes made to the management and work structure

• Major munitions depot

• Capable of outfitting and producing a fully equipped merchant or naval vessel in less than one day

Early Management

• Managed by a group of noblemen patrons

• Board of Patroni served as logistics officers

• Provided communication between shipbuilders or local artisans

• Eventually formed a

a single entity

composed of the

multiple shipbuilding

companies

Management Transitions

• Power shifted to Protomaestri (foremen) and one Ammiraglio (Admiral)

• Noblemen Patroni became advisers and financers

• Master tradesmen became salaried managers with large stakes in the Arsenale

• Government forbade these employees from working elsewhere

Management Structure

Board of Patroni

Shipwright

Protomaestri

Master of Shipwrights

Master of Hulls

Master of Planking

Master of Masts & Spars

Master of Auxiliaries

Master of Caulkers

Master of Sails

Master of Ropes & Rigging

Master of Carpentry

Logistics

Protomaestri

Master of Munitions

Master of Foodstuffs

Functional Areas

• Shipwrights composed the major portion of personnel in Arsenale Nuovo

• Maintained exclusive forest to provide lumber for hulls, planks, masts, and spars

• Over 8,000 personnel employed by the shipwright masters

Functional Areas

• Auxiliaries provided

important additional

components for ships

• Ropes, rigging, sails,

caulking, oil, and

spare components

• Great galleys carried

over 25 tons of

additional supplies

Functional Areas

• Munitions and foodstuffs were vitally

important to warships

• Crew sizes on the galleys were generally

200 men, requiring many supplies

• Many Venetian ships were built for the

Navy, and munitions were required to

maintain dominance in the Mediterranean

Worker Structure

• Typical workers were called arsenalotti

• Varied in skill level between master,

journeyman, and apprentice

• Workers were skilled in one trade

• Masters designed exacting specifications

• Journeymen accomplished most work

• Apprentices worked in a moving assembly

line

Worker Structure

• Arsenalotti were required to work at least 150 out of 250 work days at the Arsenale

• Workers drew a daily wage, even skilled masters

• Salaried protomaestri and administrative officials drew a monthly salary

• Salaried employees had a life-long contract and were subject to many restrictions regarding travel

Worker Structure

• Arsenalottis were hated

by other workers in

Venice

• Drew lower salaries, but

enjoyed privileges and

secure lifestyle

• Early form of state-

owned business with

pensions and benefits

Capabilities

• At its height, the Arsenale was capable of producing a fully equipped merchant or naval vessel in less than one day

• The use of interchangeable parts and components allowed for quick refits and repairs

• Production was divided into 3 main stages: framing, planking and cabins, and final assembly

• The Arsenal often kept up to 100 galleys in different stages of production and maintenance

Comparison

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

Arsenale (Venice)

Drassanes Reales (Spain)

Southwark (England)

Marseilles (France)

Full-size vessel

Smaller Craft

Side Benefits

• Shipbuilding improvements

– Largest collection of master-level craftsmen in the

medieval world

– Shared knowledge and techniques by order of the

Board of Patroni

– Well-funded and capable of experimentation

– Collection of different nationalities

Side Benefits

• Innovation

– Laboratories and research space allotted for

different trades

– Created a think-tank atmosphere for some of

the brightest minds in the trades

– Utilized outside scientists,

such as Galileo, for

consultation and advice

Importance

• First use of moving assembly line

• First use of interchangeable components

and parts

• First congregation of trades into a

single, corporation-like entity

• Provided numerous advances in the fields

of shipbuilding, firearms, and artillery

Conclusion

The Venetian Arsenal

was ahead of its times

in a multitude of ways.

It dominated European

manufacturing in

management,

techniques, and sheer

size and scope

References• The Venetian Arsenal. (n.d.). Retrieved July 27, 2011 from

Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venetian_Arsenal

• Davis, R.C. (2007). Shipbuilders of the Venetian Arsenal: Workers and Workplace in the Pre-Industrial City. Baltimore, MD: The Johns Hopkins University Press.

• Dolinsky, Anton. "Inventory Management History Part Three: Venetian Arsenal - Ahead of Their Time". Almyta Systems. http://www.almyta.com/Inventory_Management_History_3.asp

• Kaon Consulting. "The Venetian Arsenal: The World's First Assembly Line." http://www.kaon.com.au/index.php?page=venetian-arsenal