Reconstruction of Pharaoh’s 4500-year-old ship; Restoration before the eyes of visitors!

According to the Associated Press; The Great Egyptian Museum in Cairo has become the scene of a rare event, and visitors can watch live the assembly of the ancient pharaoh’s ship. In the “Great Egyptian Museum” exhibition hall, restoration experts have begun to connect the pieces of the second ship belonging to Pharaoh Khufu in a breath-taking action.

This project was launched yesterday morning in the presence of dozens of eager visitors, so that the 4500-year-old history of Egypt will be revived, this time not behind the closed doors of laboratories, but in front of the public. The 42-meter (137-foot) vessel, built entirely of cedar wood, is scheduled to be displayed alongside its pre-assembled twin upon completion.

According to Issa Zidan, head of the restoration department of the Grand Egyptian Museum, it will take about four years to complete this ancient puzzle, which includes 1,650 delicate wooden pieces.

Photographer: Unknown / egyptian-gazette.com

“Sherif Fathy”, the Minister of Tourism and Antiquities of Egypt, who was present at the initiation ceremony of this project, said, referring to the global importance of this event:

Today, you are witnessing one of the most important restoration projects of ancient monuments in the 21st century.

Khufu, the builder of the Great Pyramid of Giza, ruled Egypt centuries ago, and this ship is one of the two vessels that were discovered on the south side of his pyramid in 1954; However, the excavation of its parts did not start until 2014.

Although the exact purpose of making these boats is still a mystery, archaeologists believe that they were either used to carry the pharaoh’s body in burial ceremonies or were designed as “Solar Boats” for his journey in the afterlife with “Ra”. The ancient Egyptians believed that Ra, the sun god, traveled across the sky in a boat every day to bring light to the world, and at night traveled to the underworld (the world of the dead) to rise again. These boats were buried next to the pharaoh’s tomb or pyramid so that the king could resurrect after death and accompany the sun god on this eternal heavenly journey.

This project is implemented in the heart of the 1 billion dollar Egyptian museum, which with 50,000 ancient artifacts and Tutankhamun’s treasure, is Egypt’s main hope for economic and tourism revival.