Musee des Beaux-Arts (Chartres) - circa 1760 Model Paddles

An older looking website of the Government of France showcases some of the accessories of the famed Chartres Canoe Model dated to around 1760. It is believed that the canoe (and accessories) were meant as a votive offering to the Cathedral de Chartres by Abenaki converts to Catholicism in Quebec. The patterns on the blades are some of the oldest surviving paddle decorations in Northeastern canoe culture.

Image Source Link:

http://www.culture.gouv.fr/culture/nllefce/fr/mu_28000/11405_83.htm