Khufu's Solar Ships: The oldest organic antiquity in the world

CAIRO – 8 August 2021: Khufu’s Solar Ships were discovered by Egyptian archaeologist and journalist Kamal el-Malakh in 1954.

The discovery was made on May 26, 1954 inside two roofed pits at the base of the southern Pyramid of Khufu [Cheops], at the bottom of one of them was a dismantled vessel beautifully carved of cedar wood. The boat consisted of 1224 parts that were all found. 

Funeral boats were used to transport the king's mummy to visit the holy sites of the God Osiris, including Abydos in the south and Boto in the north.

This is in addition to the fact that this type of boat was also used to transport the body of the king from his palace of residence to the cemetery where his pyramid is located.

Named the Solar Boat and the Ship of Khufu, it was known that such funerary ships sail to restore life for the deceased king from the holy places where the ships of the gods reside. 

Egyptian myths say that sunrises on the far eastern shore; that’s when Ra appears from the water and is greeted by a band of monkeys. 

After that, Ra, the Sun God, rides in his day ship, which sails him across the sky until evening, when he moves from his day ship to the night ship that waits for him in the underworld.

Egypt Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities transferred  king Khufu’s Solar Ship from its current location in the Pyramids’ Archeological Area to its new display at the Grand Egyptian Museum on August 6.

During the transfer process - Social media

Three national companies handled Khufu’S Solar Ship transportation to the Grand Egyptian Museum.

Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism & Antiquities performed all the necessary procedures to secure the ship during transportation. It took 6 months of workshops and meetings to discuss the most appropriate scientific method that ensures the ship's safety during packaging and transportation.

Khufu's ship was restored and assembled out of 1200 pieces of wood and has been displayed since then at the Solar Boat Museum near the Great Pyramid of Cheops.

Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities Mostafa Waziry headed the team responsible to transfer Khufu ship from its current location in the Pyramids’ Archeological Area to the Grand Egyptian Museum.

‎Dazzling colors lighted up the special vehicle that transferred Khufu’s Ship to Grand Egyptian Museum.

Khufu's ship was transferred to Grand Egyptian Museum using the smart remote-controlled cart, which was specially brought in from Belgium to transport the whole ship without dismantling it.