4,500 years ago, the ancient Egyptians sealed 1,224 piece of Lebanese cedar into a limestone pit alongside the Great Pyramid. They remained there, undisturbed, until 1954, when the pit was discovered by archeologists.
After painstakingly working to figure out how the pieces fit together, the Solar Boat of Khufu emerged. It had been placed near the pyramid for Khufu’s use in the afterlife, perhaps to carry the resurrected Khufu on a journey across the heavens with the god Ra. Archeologists believe it would float today if it was put in the water, though it’s not clearly whether it every actually sailed, since there is no rigging for sails or room for paddling. No matter, it’s spectacular to look at it. I was particularly fascinated with all the places the planks were lashed together with rope. This is decidedly NOT a dugout canoe.
Most visitors to the pyramids don’t stop to see the boat; it’s located in a boxy building alongside the biggest pyramid, and you have to buy an extra ticket to get in. But as you can see, it’s a real-life visualization of the many, many barques seen in temple carvings in upper Egypt. And it’s absolutely awe-inspiring to think it was built 2500 years before Christ.
