: As well as around a pole, the turk's head can also be formed as a flat disk or mat - my knot book continues to call this a turk's head. I have seen such mats used to prevent, not chafing as such, but analogous damage to the deck around where blocks are secured, to a ringbolt or similar. When the line through the block is tight the block is held away from the deck and all is well, but if the line becomes slack the block will drop to the deck, and if the line is flogging the block will beat against the deck. If it's a heavy wooden block with metal strapping this is not good; a turk's head mat of rope around where the block is secured will potect the deck and deaden the noise.