The Khufu Solar Boat is an intact, full-size vessel from ancient Egypt. Khufu’s ship is one of the oldest, largest and best-preserved vessels from ancient times. In around 2500 BC, the ship was sealed into a pit in the great pyramid of Giza. This is located in the pyramid complex on the Giza Plateau.
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Khufu Solar Boat: New Location
The Khufu Solar Boat is now located in the new Grand Egyptian Museum. Unfortunately the new museum has not yet opened. The ship was almost certainly built for Khufu. Who was the second pharaoh of the Fourth Dynasty of the Old Kingdom of Egypt. Like other buried Ancient Egyptian ships, Khufu Sola Boat was part of the extensive grave of goods. These were intended for use in the afterworld.
There are actually seven boat pits in the whole complex of Khufu at Giza. However, two of the boat pits are associated with the smaller so-called Queen’s Pyramids.
Khufu Solar Boat: The Discovery
The two pits, in which intact boats were found, are on the south side of the pyramid. These two pits were discovered in 1954, during cleaning work. A young Egyptian architect and archeologist Kamal el-Mallakh and inspector Zaki Nur made the discovery. The boat was removed, piece by piece. Supervised by Ahmed Youssef Mustafa, a master restorer.
43.3 meters (142 feet) long, the boat is made of Lebanese cedar wood and acacia. The separate parts of the boat had numerous U-shaped holes. These were so the boat could be ‘stitched’ together using ropes made of vegetable fibers. It took Mustafa some ten years to completely reassemble the Khufu Solar Boat. That work was not completed until 1968.
The cedar Khufu Solar Boat was originally dismantled into 1,224 individual parts. On top of the wood was a layer of mats and ropes, an instrument made of flint. There were also some small pieces of white plaster. A wooden column topped by a round wooden disk, was found at the western end of the pit. This column was connected to two long wooden pieces that extended along the bottom of the pit. Most of the wooden parts had been tied together with ropes. Also found inside the pit were many other items, such as twelve oars, each made from a single piece of wood. Also, there were fifty-eight poles, three cylindrical columns and five doors. In total, there were thirteen layers of materials consisting of 651 artifacts ranging in size from 10 centimeters to 23 meters.
Visit Cairo From Hurghada
Visiting the Giza plateau is a great day trip from any of the southern Red Sea resorts. The journey in a private car or bus takes approximately 5 hours from Hurghada and it is possible to stop for comfort breaks if you would like to.
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A Local Guide To Egypt
Our Local Guide to Egypt, is your go-to resource for planning your holiday in Egypt. Whether you’re a first-time visitor or a seasoned traveller, our blog is here to provide you with insider tips. Including must-see destinations across Egypt. Get ready to discover the magic of Egypt like a true local!
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