mardi 30 juillet 2013

Significant Facts About Ancient North African Ship Designing

By Gamal Rasheed


Egypt was blessed with a massive water body called the River Nile. Flowing over a vast expanse of land the River Nile was the perfect route for transportation across Egypt. In order to utilize the waterway as a transportation route the Egyptians were required to construct boats. Ancient Egyptian boat designs varied according to the purpose that the boats were meant to fulfill.

The primary objective of boat-construction was for transport, for fishing activities and to spend leisure-time. Hieroglyphics also depict the Egyptian boats of ancient times. They seem to portray that their depiction has a major religious and mythological value.

Abydos and Tarkhan are two of the places where plenty of Egyptian boat remains were sighted. The ancient Egyptian Kingdom did not reveal an adequate amount of information. An exact model of the ancient Egyptian boat was portrayed in the King Khufu's ship. It is a realistic representation of the ships constructed in those days.

Construction styles of the boats from the earliest dynasty were found in many areas of Abydos. Studies of these remains show that the boats were constructed with a good plan. With a width of 3 meters, a length of 25 meters and a depth no more than 60 centimeters, they had sufficient place for about 30 people to row. The stern of the boat, in addition to the prow had a typical tapering effect through the length of the boat. Archaeological studies clearly show that remarkable paintings were done on the surface of the boats for decoration.

The boats were made of wood which caused them to decay eventually and hence historians were not able to conduct an intensive analysis. The opinion of the majority is that the wood used for Egyptian boats during the first dynasty was cedar.

An in-depth study has shown a clear picture of the boat construction in ancient Egypt. Planks of wood cut out from wooden logs were subjected to lashing by using a special mortise made for the purpose. The joints in between the planks were made watertight with the help of reeds. There was no particular inner frame work like modern boats, and hence it would seem slightly distorted when left open.

Ships and boats of the ancient Egyptian period are drawn in their popular script known as hieroglyphics. A lot of such paintings and drawings adorn the walls and even tombs particularly in Medinet Habu and also in Deir el Bahri. Both these places are famous because of such scripts showing Egyptian boats and ships.

Hieroglyphics have helped Egyptologists to a great extent in understanding the boat-making techniques of ancient Egypt. The actual remains of boats have helped relatively to a lesser extent. Nonetheless, the ship-construction ways of the new kingdom are not clearly learned by historians.

The state would also encourage the building of boats and ships. Some ruling authorities like Pharaoh Snefru encouraged and patronized the building of boats and ships to enhance the strength of the Navy. In other cases boats were made for recreational and fishing purposes.




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