1st Khufu Solar Ship dismantled in preparation for transferring to the Grand Egyptian Museum

CAIRO – 13 August 2020: Khufu’s solar ships are among the most important discoveries of the twentieth century, which caused a sensation in various countries of the world, due to the distinct archaeological and heritage value of the ancient Egyptian history and civilization.

A project to transport the King Khufu’s 1st solar ship is currently underway, to preserve the relic, so that it will be among the exhibits of the Grand Egyptian Museum. So what is going on with the ship at the present time?

Archaeologist Ashraf Mohie, director general of the Pyramids Antiquities Region, said that the visit to the museum of the first Khufu solar ship is currently closed in preparation for dismantling and transporting it to the Grand Egyptian Museum, in the Haram (Pyramids) area. The discovery of the  ship was made by the engineer Kamal al-Malakh on May 26, 1954.

Ashraf Mohie said in press statements that the transport of the first Khufu solar ship was an idea of Atef Moftah, the general supervisor of the Grand Egyptian Museum project and the surrounding area, and the reasons that made him think about transporting the first Khufu solar ship from its current location to the Grand Egyptian Museum is that the building in which the ship is currently exhibited, which was built more than 25 years ago, helped significantly to eliminate the southern leg of the most important monument in the world, which is the Pyramid of Cheops, which clearly worked on the visual distortion of the archaeological area, as well as the presence of the ship in a building that lacks a distinct style of presentation and is not qualified to receive people with special needs.

On May 26, 1954, the engineer Kamal al-Malakh announced a discovery that is one of the most important unique discoveries of King Khufu's relics, which is the discovery of two pits for King Khufu's Solar Ships, and was found on the southern side of the Pyramid of Cheops. 

Kamal al-Malakh and Ahmed Youssef worked on the discovery, restoration and re-installation of the first ship, which came to light after was buried in the ground for nearly 5,000 years. It is known as the solar ship and is currently displayed in its museum by the Giza Pyramids, which was inaugurated in 1982.