[1] In September 1307, the Venetian government recognised the first Mariégola dei Remèri, or corporations of specialised craftmen.
Remèri were included among the "Arts" corporations, each of which had a school and a governing statute, and together formed the core of Venetian productive power.
They were divided between those working for the navy inside the Arsenale and those with independent workshops, crafting oars and rowlocks for smaller ships.
The long lasting domination of Venice on the Mediterranean Sea mostly depended on the ability of its craftsmen and on the technical innovations they achieved.
Even if the main medium of propulsion for a boat was still the sail, the oars and their supports were decisive for manoeuvring during dead calm weather, or along the islands.