Ancient Egyptian solar ships

Several Ancient Egyptian solar ships & boat pits were found in Ancient Egyptian sites.^[1] The most famous is the Khufu ship now preserved in the Giza Solar boat museum beside the Great pyramid at Giza. The full-sized ships or boats were buried near Ancient Egyptians' Pyramids or Temples at many sites. The history and function of the ships are not precisely known. They might be of the type known as a "solar barge", a ritual vessel to carry the resurrected king with the sun god Ra across the heavens. However, some ships bear signs of being used in water, and it is possible that these ships were a funerary "barge".

Comparative table of solar ships

Name of ship(s)	Dating	Number	Discovery site	Current site	Length & width	Owner	Discovery date	Current status	Coordinates
Khufu First Solar ship	c. 2566 BC	1	South of Khufu pyramid, Giza	Khufu Solar Ship museum, Giza	43.6 m long & 5.9 m wide	King Khufu	1954 by Kamal el-Mallakh	Ship pit preserved containing wood of ship later on reconstructed	29°58′41″N 31°08′04″E / 29.97806°N 31.13444°E
Khufu Second Solar ship	c. 2566 BC	1	South of Khufu pyramid, Giza	2nd Solar Ship pit, Khufu pyramid complex, Giza	N/A	King Khufu	1954 by Kamal el-Mallakh & 2012	Ship pit preserved containing wood of ship to be preserved	29°58′41″N 31°08′04″E / 29.97806°N 31.13444°E
Hetepheres I Solar Ship	c. 2589–2566 BC	1	Pyramid of Hetepheres (GIa), Khufu pyramid complex, Giza	N/A	N/A	Queen Hetepheres I	N/A	Boat pit preserved	29°58′41″N 31°08′04″E / 29.97806°N 31.13444°E
The Ka Solar Ship	c. 2566 BC	1	Pyramid of the Ka, Khufu pyramid complex, Giza	N/A	N/A	King Khufu	1954	Boat pit preserved	29°58′41″N 31°08′04″E / 29.97806°N 31.13444°E
Other Khufu Solar ship	c. 2566 BC	3	East of Khufu pyramid, Giza	N/A	N/A	King Khufu	N/A	Ship pits preserved	29°58′41″N 31°08′04″E / 29.97806°N 31.13444°E
Khentkaus II Solar ship	c. 2445 BC	2	pyramid of Khentkawes in Giza (LG 100), Giza	N/A	N/A	Queen Khentkaus II	1906 by Borchardt	Ship pits preserved	29°58′41″N 31°08′04″E / 29.97806°N 31.13444°E
Khafre Solar Ships	c. 2570 BC	7	5 around the Upper temple: 2 on north side & 3 on south; 2 in tunnels of Lower temple; Khafra pyramid complex, Giza	N/A	N/A	King Khafra	1837 by John Perring ?	Ship pits are preserved	29°58′34″N 31°07′51″E / 29.97611°N 31.13083°E
Nyuserre Ini Solar ship	c. 2421 BC	1	outside the temple on the south-east corner of Niuserre Sun Temple, Abo Gorab, Abusir	Boat pit preserved	N/A	King Nyuserre Ini	1905	Boat pit preserved	29°54′N 31°12′E / 29.900°N 31.200°E
Den Solar ship	c. 2935 BC	2	northern area of Mastaba number six, Abu Rawash	New National Museum of Egyptian Civilization	6 m length and 1.5 m wide	King Den	2012	Preserved	30°01′55″N 31°04′30″E / 30.03194°N 31.07500°E
Djedefre Solar Ship	c. 2575 BC	1	East side of the pyramid complex of Djedefre, Abu Rawash	Louvre, France	35 m long & ? m wide	\king Djedefre, son of Khufu	1901	Boat pit preserved & beautiful heads carved into the likeness of Djedefre were found here	30°01′55″N 31°04′30″E / 30.03194°N 31.07500°E
Neferirkare Solar Ships	c. 2181-2160 BC	2	North & South sides of Neferirkare pyramid, Abusir	mentioned in a papyrus	N/A	King Neferirkare	1904? by M. Verner	only dust remains Boat pits preserved	29°54′N 31°12′E / 29.900°N 31.200°E
Neferefre Solar Ships	c. 2445 BC	5	funerary temple of Neferefre, Abu Sir	N/A	N/A	King Neferefre	N/A	Boat pits preserved	29°54′N 31°12′E / 29.900°N 31.200°E
Ptahshepses Solar Ships	c. 2445–2421 BC	2	Southern part of the complex of the vizier Ptahshepses, Abu Sir	N/A	N/A	Ptahshepses	N/A	Boat pits preserved	29°54′N 31°12′E / 29.900°N 31.200°E
Hor-Aha Solar ships	c. 2775 BC	14	between the Shunet ez-Zabib and the Western Mastaba, Abydos	N/A	18–27 m long & 2.5 m wide	King Hor-Aha	1991	Fragile boat remains	26°11′06″N 31°55′08″E / 26.18500°N 31.91889°E
Khasekhemwy Solar Ships	c. 2675 BC	12	Umm el Qa'ab, Abydos	N/A	25 m long & 2.5 m wide & 0.5 m deep	Khasekhemwy	2000 by D O'Connor	Fragile boat remains	26°11′06″N 31°55′08″E / 26.18500°N 31.91889°E
Senusret III Solar ships	c. 1839 BC	6	Near the pyramid of Senusret III, Dashur	1 in Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh, USA and 1 in the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, USA; 2 in The Cairo Egyptian Museum & 2 were lost?	10–18 m long & 5.9 m wide	King Senusret III	1893 Jacques de Morgan	Well preserved	29°48′N 31°14′E / 29.80°N 31.24°E
Amenemhat III Solar ship	c. 1814 BC	1	South perimeter of Amenemhat IIIpyramid, Dashur	decomposed	15 m long & 5.7 m wide	King Amenemhat III	?	Ship pit preserved	29°48′N 31°14′E / 29.80°N 31.24°E
Saqqarah First dynasty Solar boats	c. 3100-2890 BC	3	Tomb S 3357, Saqqara	N/A	N/A	First Dynasty of Egypt kings	1957 by W. Emory	Ship pits preserved	29°52′17″N 31°12′59″E / 29.871264°N 31.216381°E
Kagemni Solar ships	c. 2345 – 2333 BC	2	tomb of the vizier Kagemni, Saqqara	N/A	N/A	Vizier Kagemni	N/A	Ship pits preserved	29°52′17″N 31°12′59″E / 29.871264°N 31.216381°E
Unas Solar Ship	c. 2345 BC	2	150 meter from the funeral Temple of Unas Pyramid, Saqqara	N/A	44 m long & ? m wide	King Unas	?	Ship pits preserved	29°52′17″N 31°12′59″E / 29.871264°N 31.216381°E
Tarkhan Solar ship	c. 3100-2890 BC	?	Tarkhan (Egypt) or Kafr Ammar	N/A	N/A	First Dynasty of Egypt kings?	1913 by Flinders Petrie	N/A	29°30′00″N 31°13′30″E / 29.500°N 31.225°E
Helwan Solar ships	c. 3100-2890 BC	5	Tombs 762 H5, 649 H5, 1502 H2 and 680 H5), Helwan	N/A	N/A	First Dynasty of Egypt kings?	1940s by Z Saad	N/A	29°58′41″N 31°08′04″E / 29.97806°N 31.13444°E
Senusert I Solar Ship	c. 1926 BC	1?	Pyramid of Senusret I, Lisht	N/A	N/A	King Senusret I	?	40 timbers are preserved	29°34′13″N 31°13′52″E / 29.57028°N 31.23111°E
Amenemhat I Solar ship	c. 1962 BC	1	Pyramid of Amenemhat I, Lisht	N/A	N/A	King Amenemhat I	?	N/A	29°34′13″N 31°13′52″E / 29.57028°N 31.23111°E
Imhotep Solar ship	c. 2650–2600 BC	1	Pyramid of Imhotep?, Lisht	N/A	N/A	Chancellor Imhotep	?	N/A	29°34′13″N 31°13′52″E / 29.57028°N 31.23111°E

Giza Necropolis

Khufu

Seven boat pits have been identified around the Great Pyramid. Five of which belong to the Great Pyramid proper. The other 2 are associated with the pyramid of Hetepheres (GIa) and the pyramid of the Ka (GId). Khufu's boat pits are located on the eastern side of the pyramid and the southern side.^[2]

Khufu First Solar ship

The reconstructed "solar barge" of Khufu

Model of the solar barge, from the boat museum.

The Khufu ship is an intact full-size vessel from Ancient Egypt that was sealed into a pit in the Giza pyramid complex at the foot of the Great Pyramid of Giza around 2500 BC. It was thus identified as the world's oldest intact ship and has been described as "a masterpiece of woodcraft" that could sail today if put into water.^[3] The Khufu ship is one of the oldest, largest, and best-preserved vessels from antiquity. It measures 43.6 m (143 ft) long and 5.9 m (19.5 ft) wide.

Picture of discovery place of Solar boat pit covered by stones inside the Solar bark museum.

Solar bark of Kheops. Situation when discovered.

Solar bark of Kheops. Situation when discovered.

Original cord discovered with the Solar boat

Solar Boat pit, Giza Pyramids Plateau, Egypt

One of the boat pits on the east of the Great Pyramid

Khufu funeral ships museum outdoors

The ship was one of two^[4] rediscovered in 1954 by Kamal el-Mallakh – undisturbed since it was sealed into a pit carved out of the Giza bedrock. It took years for the boat to be painstakingly reassembled, primarily by the Egyptian Department of Antiquities’ chief restorer, Ahmed Youssef Moustafa (later known as Haj Ahmed Youssef).^[5]

The ship is today housed in The Khufu Boat Museum, a small modern facility built in 1982 resting alongside the Great Pyramid.

In one of the southern boat pits a disassembled wooden barge was discovered in 1954. It has been reconstructed and resides in the boat shaped museum.^[6] In 1987, the western boat pit at the Great Pyramid was examined by a microprobe inserted through a hole drilled into the pit, confirming the presence of a second wooden boat similar to the first. It was originally decided that the second boat should remain in its pit, in conditions which made its preservation near perfect.^[7]

Khufu Second Solar Ship

The second solar boat of Khufu is being excavated in 2012-2013 and is going to be reconstructed.^[8][9] Sakuji Yoshimura, a Waseda University professor who is leading the restoration project with Egypt's Antiquities Council, said (June 2011) that scientists discovered that this second ship is inscribed with Khufu's name.

Hetepheres Solar Ship

Associated with the pyramid of Hetepheres I (GIa).^[2]

The Ka Solar Ship

Associated with the pyramid of the Ka (GId).^[2]

Khafre Solar Ship

Khafre Solar boat pits lies on the sides of the mortuary temple of Khafre.

Khafre’s pyramid has five pits that once contained funeral boats. One known boat pit is alongside the east face of Khafre’s pyramid^[10] Another two of the covered boat pits of Khafre lie on the east side of the pyramid & covered boat pit lies on the south side of the mortuary temple of Khafre.^[11]

Abu Gorab

Nyuserre's Sun Temple Plan showing the ship pit at the lower left part .

Niuserre Solar ship

A few hundred meters to the north of Abusir, about six miles southwest of Cairo is the sun temple known as Abu Gorab. There lies the ruins of Niuserre's temple, Outside the temple proper and near its southern side, the German expedition also discovered a large building in the shape of a boat. This was a pit, lined with mud bricks which was at one time plastered, whitewashed and colored. This structure was augmented with several other elements made from different materials such as wood. This structure is believed to have been purely symbolic, representing a "solar boat" in which the sun god was supposed to have floated across the heavenly ocean.^[12][13][14] (The pit might have contained a boat)

Abu Rawash

Abo Rawash Pyramid Boat Pit

King Den Solar ship

A wooden funerary boat thought to have once belonged to First Dynasty King Den has been discovered at Abu Roash, the place of the pyramid of Khufu’s son, Djedefre. Unearthed in the northern area of Mastaba number six (a flat-roofed burial structure) at the archaeological site, boat consists of 11 large wooden planks reaching six metres high and 150 metres wide.^{[15] [16][17]} Two boats were discovered at Abu Rawash hill M.^[18](2 boats or Ships)^[19]

Djedefre Solar Ship

At the complex of Djedefre, Emile Chassinat, between 1900 and 1902, discovered the remains of a funerary settlement and a boat pit^[20][21] The solar boat pit is situated on the east side of the pyramid. It is a ditch 35 meters long cut out of the living limestone. It is destined for the royal boat. The beautiful heads carved into the likeness of Djedefre were found there.^[22]

Abusir

Neferirkare Solar Ship

Neferirkare complex where large solar boats were present at the North and south sides.

Neferirkare's pyramid at Abusir was the largest structure in the region. Large wooden boats were buried outside the pyramid in its courtyard on the north and south sides. Archaeologists discovered them by their mention in a cache of papyrus found within the mortuary temple, but unfortunately, when they excavated the southern boat pit, only dust remained of the boat itself.^[23]

Abydos

Abydos Solar boats were found near mastaba of Khasekhemwy marked by letter "V".

Khasekhemwy's Tomb where the Abydos boats were discovered.

The Abydos ships have the honor of being the world’s oldest planked boats.

Hor-Aha Solar ships

In 1991 in the desert near the temple of Khentyamentiu near Abydos, archaeologists uncovered the remains of the 14 ships dating back to the early first dynasty (2950-2775 BC), possibly associated with Hor-Aha. These 75-foot-long (23 m) ships are buried side by side and have wooden hulls, rough stone boulders which were used as anchors, and "sewn" wooden planks. Also found within their desert graves were remains of the woven straps that joined the planks, as well as reed bundles that were used to seal seams between planks.^[19][24]

Abydos had at least a dozen boat graves^[25] adjacent to a massive funerary enclosure for the late Dynasty II (ca. 2675 B.C.) Pharaoh Khasekhemwy.^[26][27] Their age should be more than 400 years older than Khufu's (Cheops)^[18] Ships were 25 meters long, 2.5 meters wide and about 0.5 meters deep, seating about 30 rowers. They had narrowing sterns and prows and they were painted.^[28] They are in meaning and function the direct ancestors of the boat recovered at Khufu's Great Pyramid at Giza^[27][29] The ships are possibly associated with King Aha, the first ruler of that dynasty.^[30] The length of the structures varied from nearly 20 to 27m.^[31]

These are the world's most ancient planked hulls. The traditions of the hull construction seen in all the excavated vessels continued through the end of the sixth century BC and, with the substitution of nails for mortise-and-tenon joints, into the present. An abandoned freighter, stripped of its internal timbers and left on a small branch of the Nile near Mataria (ancient Heliopolis, north of modern Cairo) provides the first instance of pegged mortise-and-tenon joints in an Egyptian hull. Not all joints were through-fastened, and the pegs, or treenails, may also have fastened frames to the hull, but for this marks a dramatic departure from previous shipbuilding techniques.^[32]

Dahshur

Sesostris III boats found near his Pyramid in Dahshur, 1895

Illustration of Sesostris III boats found near his Pyramid in Dahshur, 1895

Senusret III Solar ships

Six boats of Middle Kingdom date were found at Dahshur. They are about 10 m long each.^[18] In 1893 Jacques de Morgan discovered six boats near the Middle Kingdom pyramid of Senwosret III at Dashur.^[7] He made drawings and measurements of only one boat (the White boat) from the cache at Dahshur.^[33] One of the ships measure 18 meters.^[34]

Excavations conducted in A.D. 1894 and 1895 by French archaeologist Jean-Jacques de Morgan at the funerary complex of Senwosret III on the plain of Dahshur revealed five or six small boats. Today, only four of the "Dahshur boats" can be located with certainty; two are in the United States, one in the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh and one in the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago. The remaining two are on display in The Egyptian Museum, Cairo.^[35]

Since their excavation these boats remained relatively inconspicuous until the mid-1980s when a study of the two hulls in the United States was conducted.^[35]

Amenemhat III Solar ship

The Ship pit was discovered at the south perimeter of his pyramid, it measured 15 meter by 5.57 meters.^[34]

Saqqarah

Mastabas

A 'model estate' and funerary boat was found at Saqqara by W. Emery (in 1957-8; tomb S 3357).^[18] (3 Ships)^[19] At least 3 mud-brick boat graves were associated with First Dynasty rulers and high-ranking officials.^[29]

Unas Solar Ship

Unas Solar ship at Saqqarah near his pyramid.

Unas pyramid at Saqqarah has two boats.^[36] One the boat pits is 44 meter long and is located 150 meter away from the remains of the funeral temple. Lined with limestone blocks these boat pits are thought to have been simulacra of solar boats.^[37]

Tarkhan

Remains of Old Kingdom boats were found at Tarkhan^[38] (at least one boat)^[28][39]

Helwan

Archaic boats had been found at Helwan by Z. Saad.^[18] (4 Ships)^[19] In total 4 or 5 boat burials were found at Helwan, 2 at Abu Roash Hill M, and finally others at the northerly Abydos site of the Royal enclosures, near those just found.^[18]

Lisht

Senusert Solar Ship

Forty timbers were found in excavations near the Pyramid of Senusret I in Lisht. They were identified as part of vessel or vessels.^[40][41]

Amenemhat I Solar ship

Amenemhat Pyramid Solar boat is present at the Western Perimeter of the wall of Amenemhat I pyramid at Lisht.

A mudbrick boat pit has also been found outside Amenemhat I’s pyramid western perimeter wall.^[42][43]

Other Ancient Egyptian Ships

Excavation of the remains of seagoing ships at Wadi/Mersa Gawasis, south of Safaga on the Egyptian Red Sea coast, in 2004–05 and 2005–06 provides extensive physical evidence for construction techniques, wood selection, and recycling and re-use practices of the ancient Egyptians. Discoveries at Gawasis prove that common Egyptian river-oriented design and construction techniques were successful both on the Nile and at sea.^[44][45]

Japanese Nonprofit Organization Institute of the Solar Boat

Japanese Archeologists have established a nonprofit Organization Institute of the Solar Boat in Tokyo, Japan.^[46]

See also

• Giza Solar boat museum
• Khufu ship
• Abydos boats
• Solar barge
• Ancient Egyptian technology
• Ships preserved in museums

References

1. Vinson, Steve (1994). Egyptian boats and ships. Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire, UK: Shire Publications. ISBN 0-7478-0222-X.
2. http://www.ldolphin.org/egypt/egypt1/fig32.jpg
3. The Royal Ships of Egyptian Pharaohs
4. "Egypt Excavates Ancient King's 4,500-Year-Old Ship". Fox News. Associated Press. 23 June 2011. Retrieved 25 June 2011. Archaeologists have begun excavating a 4,500-year-old wooden boat found next to the Great Pyramid of Giza, one of Egypt's main tourist attractions, Egypt's top antiquities official said Thursday.
5. Egypt Solar Barges
6. Khufu boat pits
7. Ancient Egypt: Solar Boat, Land Of The Pharoahs, Cleopatra Inspires Solar Navigator Figure Head, Sun God Ra Hawks Head Trademark
8. 早稲田大学エジプト学研究所
9. Scholars will reassemble ancient Egyptian boat
10. Electromagnetic Sounder Experiments at the Pyramids of Giza
11. Applications of Modern Sensing Techniques to Egyptology
12. Egypt: The Sun Temple of Niuserre at Abu Ghurab
13. http://www.anse-egypt.com/articles/Nuzzolo-SAK36_2007.pdf
14. The Ancient Egypt Site
15. First Dynasty funerary boat discovered at Egypt's Abu Rawash - Ancient Egypt - Heritage - Ahram Online
16. 5000 Year-old Funeral Boat of King Den Discovered – Talking Pyramids
17. 5,000-year-old wooden boat used by the pharaohs is discovered by French archaeologists | Mail Online
18. Francesco Raffaele Egyptology News
19. http://xoomer.virgilio.it/francescoraf/hesyra/helwan.htm Other Solar Boats in Ancient Egypt
20. The Ancient Egyptian Archaeological Site of Abu Rowash (Abu Rawash, Abu Roash)
21. http://heritage-key.com/blogs/owenjarus/could-djedefres-pyramid-be-solar-temple-not-according-new-research-baud
22. http://egyptphoto.ncf.ca/Abu%20Rawash%20Boat%20Pit.htm Abu Rawash boat pit
23. The Pyramid of Neferirkare - Crystalinks
24. Egypt: Barques, Barges, and Byblos Boats
25. http://ww2.coastal.edu/cward/Ward%20publication%20files/Ward%202003%20Abydos.pdf
26. Abydos, The Funerary Enclosures
27. Abydos royal boats
28. Ancient Egypt Boat And Ship Building Land Of The Pharoahs Queen Cleopatra Solar Navigator'S Figure Head Sun God Ra Hawks Head Trademark
29. http://ww2.coastal.edu/cward/Ward%20publication%20files/Ward%202006.pdf
30. Ancient Egyptian Boats
31. Abydos Royal Enclosures (Kom es-Sultan) Early Dynastic Egypt period
32. The Promise of Egypt's Maritime Legacy
33. http://www.allacademic.com/meta/p_mla_apa_research_citation/1/8/1/6/6/pages181664/p181664-4.php
34. The Pyramid Complex of Senwosret I by Dieter Arnold Page 53
35. The Cairo Dahshur Boats, a Digital Exhibit
36. Development Of The Ancient Egyptian Royal Mortuary Complex
37. Photo of the Week – Unas Boat Pit – Talking Pyramids
38. Ancient Egypt: Ships and Boats
39. http://www.anthro.fsu.edu/people/faculty/ward/ward2006.pdf
40. http://ww2.coastal.edu/cward/Ward%20publication%20files/Haldane%20[Ward]%201992%20Lisht.pdf
41. The Pyramid Complex of Senwosret by Dieter Arnold Page 52
42. el-Lisht Necropolis « Egyptian Monuments
43. Egypt: The Pyramid of Senusret I at Lisht
44. http://ww2.coastal.edu/cward/Ward%20publication%20files/Ward%20&%20Zazzaro%202010.pdf
45. http://ww2.coastal.edu/cward/Ward%20publication%20files/Ward%202007.pdf
46. Nonprofit Organization Institute of the Solar Boat

Further reading

• Nancy Jenkins – The boat beneath the pyramid: King Cheops' royal ship (1980) ISBN 0-03-057061-1
• Paul Lipke – The royal ship of Cheops: a retrospective account of the discovery, restoration and reconstruction. Based on interviews with Hag Ahmed Youssef Moustafa (Oxford: B.A.R., 1984) ISBN 0-86054-293-9
• Björn Landström – Ships of the Pharaohs: 4000 Years of Egyptian Shipbuilding (Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1970) Library of Congress Catalog Card number 73-133207

External links

• The Solar Barque, Nova Online
• Web archive backup: Ships of the World: An Historical Encyclopedia – "Cheops ship"
• The Giza Mapping Project
• A Visitors Perspective of the Khufu Boat Museum