A three-quarter-length figurehead of a female nude with laurel leaves around her thighs from an unknown merchant ship. This figurehead has traditionally been identified as representing Amphitrite, consort to King Neptune. However, it has none of the expected queenly attributes for the consort of Poseidon. She is typically depicted swathed in robes, riding a shell and attended by hippocampi (mythical seahorses). Instead, the laurel leaves and berries surrounding the figurehead’s upper thighs and head may represent the nymph Daphne at her moment of transformation into a laurel bush. Mocked by Apollo, Cupid fired his bow and shot him with a golden-tipped arrow. This filled Apollo with wild and uncontrollable desire. The mischievous Cupid then fired a lead-tipped arrow at Daphne, the daughter of the river god Peneus. In contrast to Apollo, she was filled with revulsion and fled. A chase ensued with Cupid intervening to allow Apollo to catch the object of his lust. At this moment Daphne called to her father who turned her into a laurel (or bay) tree to protect his daughter’s chastity.

A circular hole at the top of the figurehead’s head indicates that there was originally an additional carved piece as part of the figure. It may explain the position of her hands behind her head and the fact the carved laurel leaves on the top are flat. There is no evidence to say what the carved piece could have been, although it may relate to Daphne’s transmogrification.