Hier noch eine Kommentar zu Booten von Bill Houghton aus dem Forum Discuss Egypt - Solar Boats1 The unearthing of the Cheops' solar boat is considered one of the most significant archaeological finds since the discovery of Tutankhamon's tomb. The boat is considered the oldest wooden boat ever to be found in good condition. However, the way it was preserved for 45 centuries is so amazing. In May 1954, Kamal Ali Malaakh, the then director of the Pyramids archaeological zone, discovered two rectangular ditches in the rocks south of the Cheops Pyramid, each 40 meters in length, embracing the solar boats. Commemorating the 50th anniversary of their discovery, the Supreme Council for Antiquities(SCA) is to hold a series of lectures to highlight the historic and archaeological significance of the boats and their religious implications in the ancient Egyptian doctrine. The solar boats, said Dr Zahi Hawas, Secretary General of the SCA, were buried in ditches and covered with 41 blocks of limestone, each block weighs an average of 18 tones. The blocks were inscribed in hieroglyphics denoting that king Gedf Ra who ruled for seven years after the death of his father Cheops, carried out the burial rituals. A thick layer of gypsum covered the blocks and filled the holes between the blocks. In January 1955, the last stone block was removed, exposing the content of the ditches. Parts of a boat made of cedar wood brought from Lebanon were neatly arranged in 13 layers, forming a total of 1224 pieces that make up 651 parts of the boat. Remains of ropes made of alpha plant were found in addition to parts of mats. Dr. Hawas explained that the tip of each wooden piece bore hieroglyphic symbols that turned out to be guiding signs for reassembling the boats. The ancient Egyptians believed in life after death, that is why the boats, thought to be their means for the eternal journey, were preserved in a disjointed way. The ancient Egyptians realized that if the boats were stored fully-built they would be damaged over time. Moreover, Hawas pointed out that the burial of the solar boats in the vicinity of the pyramids is part of funerary rituals. It is therefore believed that near each pyramid there are five boats. In the 1920s, the ditches were found in the eastern side of the in Cheops pyramid but only decomposed wooden remains were found. The same number of ditches were found east the Cephren Pyramid. However, the area surrounding the third pyramid has not yet been excavated, although the possibility of finding ditches of Mycerinus boats still exist. Egyptologists have differed as to the function of these boats. Some contend that they are solar boats placed under the disposal of the Pharaoh in his eternal journey when he unites with the seen god Ra. Others say they are funerary ones carrying the body of the king on a pilgrimage trip to Abydos, where the tomb of the god Osiris lies, before being buried in the pyramid. Inscriptions on the walls of Old Kingdom tombs reveal that Pharaohs and statesmen used to take pilgrimage trips either in their life or after death to the sacred places.
> Antwort auf Beitrag vom: 25.04.2004 um 13:06:41
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