(c 300 BC). In Finland, Russia, Karelia and Estonia small sewn boats have been constructed more recently, until the 1920s in poor areas of Russia. Sewn construction is used in the various forms of the Austronesian "proas" of the Indo-Pacific (which also used the lashed-lug techniques) and the Middle Eastern and South Asian dhow native to the Red Sea, Persian Gulf, and Indian Ocean. Despite their proximity and similarity, they differ markedly from each other, indicating that they developed independently. Austronesian boat-sewing techniques are discontinuous and are only visible from the inside surfaces of the hull, while South Asian and Middle Eastern boat-sewing techniques are visible in both the exterior and interior of the hull and are continuous. Comparison with other traditions Though the sewn boat technique (but not the lashed lugs) is also used for boats in the western Indian Ocean traditions, it differs in that the stitching in Austronesian boats are discontinuous and only visible from the inside of the hull. This indicates that the sewn boat techniques of the Indian Ocean and Austronesia are not culturally-linked and developed independent of each other. The planks of ancient Austronesian ships were originally joined together using only the sewn boat technique. However, the development of metallurgy in Maritime Southeast Asia in the last two thousand years resulted in the replacement of the sewing technique with internal dowels, as well as increasing use of metal nails. Examples of sewn boats Dhow Mtepe Nordland Itaomacip See also Lashed-lug boat Hjortspring boat References External links A full-scale replica of a Hjortspring Boat, an early Viking sewn boat Reconstruction of sewing boatbuilding technique & building of a sewn boat replica at Fotevikens Museum Abstract of Construction and Qualitative Analysis of a Sewn Boat of the Western Indian Ocean Underwater Archaeology Glossary definition of sewn boat Ferriby Boats website, with information on archeological finds Odyssey 5.234-53 and Homeric Ship Construction: A Reappraisal, an analysis of Iron Age Greek ship laced boat construction methods Traditional watercraft of Viet Nam Construction of a sewn plank boat by two of the last living Vietnamese builders, documented in photographs. HAND - SEWN BOAT. Local fishing-boat constructed off accurately crafted planks, sewn together with coir rope. flickr.com Boat types