Boat Models Faithful Replicas

One of the greatest archaeological discoveries, the so-called solar boat of Khufu is the oldest preserved ship in the world that is not a simple dugout canoe. It was discovered in 1954 in a pit on the south side of the Great Pyramid of Khufu, in Giza. This Konouz product is a faithful model of the original, whose length is around an astonishing 43 meters (141 feet)!

Models equipped with masts and square sails to navigate against the prevailing winds. The 35 wooden model boats found in Tutankhamun's tomb are important in that they represent the last large group of model boats which has survived from Ancient Egypt and are the only complete group to have survived from the 18th Dynasty. They are, therefore, our main evidence 'in the round' for vessels of that period. They supplement the information provided by reliefs and paintings and supply important information on many aspects of Ancient Egyptian boat design and development of the period.

Funerary boats are significant artifacts from Ancient Egypt. These models were placed in tombs to serve a dual purpose: providing the deceased with a means of transport for daily needs in the afterlife and facilitating the symbolic pilgrimage to Abydos, the cult center of Osiris. Typically crafted from native wood and coated in gesso before being painted, these vessels often feature a central canopied bier containing a mummy or sarcophagus. The hull is frequently adorned with protective symbols like the Wadjet eye, while the stern is equipped with a large steering oar to navigate the spiritual waters of the Duat.