Le Polene - i volti del mare 

Una polena è una decorazione lignea, spesso figura femminile o di animale, che si trovava sulla prua delle navi dal XVI al XIX secolo.
figurehead is a wooden decoration, often female figure or animal, which stood on the bow of the ship from the sixteenth to the nineteenth century. The practice was initially introduced in the galleons, but also older ships often had some decorations in the bow