Some examples of the typical Portuguese nau from the first half of the sixteenth century. It would keep the same profile all along the century with the exception of the most extravagant fore and aft castles, that were reduced for practical reasons. The nau from the end of the century, although looking the same from afar, probably had significant improvements in hull construction. The black ships depicted in the namban screens show some more modern features that are too accurate to be from the artist's imagination.
