The article analyzes the rite of passage upon crossing the Equator line and its transformations. In the 20th century the persistence of this ritual gave the impression that its form had always been the same. However, looking at the sources from the 16th century, we can understand its origin, dissemination, and transformation in maritime culture. Sailors and officers participated in the construction of ritual, full of significance for the professional life of men working at sea. The sources used here are basically travel narratives from the period in question.
maritime culture; Atlantic history; workers at sea