1
ARCHAEOLOGISTS FROM THE PENN MUSEUM RECENTLY
DISCOVERED AN ANCIENT EGYPTIAN BURIAL SITE ...FOR A BOAT.

2
THE SITE CONTAINS THE WOOD REMAINS OF A 20 METER-LONG
BOAT AND A TABLEAU SHOWING 120 BOAT DRAWINGS.


3
DATED TO BE MORE THAN 3,800 YEARS OLD, THIS SITE IS LOCATED AT THE EDGE OF THE NILE FLOODPLAIN IN ABYDOS IN SOUTHERN EGYPT, CLOSE TO THE TOMB OF 12TH DYNASTY KING SENWOSRET III (C. 1878–1841 BCE).

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ANCIENT EGYPTIANS PRACTICED BOAT BURIALS IN CONNECTION WITH ROYAL FUNERARY RITES.

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BURIED BOATS HAD A SYMBOLIC ROLE TO SERVE A KING IN THE AFTERLIFE.

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THE BOAT ITSELF MAY HAVE BEEN STRIPPED FOR REUSE OF THE WOOD.

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120 PRESERVED BOAT IMAGES OF VARIOUS SIZES AND DETAILS LINED THE INNER WALLS OF THE BOAT BURIAL BUILDING.

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THE VARIATION BETWEEN THE BOATS SUGGESTS THEY WERE CREATED BY MANY INDIVIDUALS OVER A SHORT TIME SPAN WHEN THE BURIAL SITE WAS BUILT.

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ALSO FOUND WERE INTACT CEREMONIAL POTTERY JARS PILED OUTSIDE THE BUILDING’S ENTRANCE.

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THE JARS WERE CAREFULLY PLACED UPSIDE DOWN WITH THEIR OPENINGS FACING THE BOAT BUILDING.

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ALTHOUGH THE SYMBOLISM IS UNKNOWN, THE JARS ARE EVIDENCE THAT THE BOAT BURIAL WAS A RELIGIOUSLY SIGNIFICANT EVENT.

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NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC GRANTEE JOSEF WEGNER AND HIS TEAM HAD BEEN EXCAVATING SENWOSRET III’S TOMB WHEN THEY DISCOVERED THE BOAT BURIAL.

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ACCORDING TO WEGNER, A COMPLETE EXCAVATION OF THE SITE MAY UNCOVER MORE BOAT BURIALS.