ltwilliammowett:Deadeyes A deadeye (the block) is so called because the sailors felt it looked like
ltwilliammowett:Deadeyes A deadeye (the block) is so called because the sailors felt it looked like a skull. It has no moving parts and was often carved from a single piece of elm. When mounted in pairs and threaded with a single piece of rope, the rope or lanyard, can be pulled to tighten and then secure the standing or semi-permanemt rigging.Such a rig has the same mechanical advantage as two triple blocks. -- source link