Abstract
This thesis is a study and comparative analysis of the two large, wooden boats found next to the Giza pyramid of King Khufu, a ruler of ancient Egypt’s Fourth Dynasty, c. 2575-2550 BC. Each boat was found dismantled and buried on the south side of the king’s pyramid in pits 4-meters deep and each was covered with stone slabs. This study will investigate both boats with respect to the carpentry techniques used in their construction; their materials, such as different woods, ropes, mortar, and copper; the meaning of the inscriptions found on each boat; and the deterioration of some parts of the boats due to the environment changes. Because of this deterioration, both boats had to undergo intensive conservation, including work done to bring back the original shape of some important parts of the boats. The first boat was extracted from its pit in the 1950’s and conserved and reconstructed in a process that has been the subject of several books and articles. The second boat has only recently — between 2014 and 2022 — been removed from its pit and conserved by a joint Japanese-Egyptian project, which successfully preserved more than 1800 pieces of ancient wood as well as nearly 100 ancient copper fixtures. The thesis will provide the first detailed description of the Second Khufu Boat Project and of the many years dedicated to preparing for and carrying out the recovery of the second boat. Finally, the thesis will address the construction of such boats as well as the question of why such massive boats were needed to accompany the king to the afterlife.
School
School of Humanities and Social Sciences
Department
Sociology, Egyptology & Anthroplology Department
Degree Name
MA in Egyptology & Coptology
Graduation Date
Spring 6-21-2022
Submission Date
6-16-2022
First Advisor
Dr. John Swanson
Committee Member 1
Dr. Lisa Sabbahy
Committee Member 2
Dr. Salima Ikram
Extent
193 p.
Document Type
Master's Thesis
Institutional Review Board (IRB) Approval
Approval has been obtained for this item
Recommended Citation
APA Citation
Yoshimura, K.
(2022).A Comparative Study between Khufu’s First and Second Boats in Respect of Their Materials, Archaeological Conditions, and Conservation [Master's Thesis, the American University in Cairo]. AUC Knowledge Fountain.
https://fount.aucegypt.edu/etds/1949
MLA Citation
Yoshimura, Kanan. A Comparative Study between Khufu’s First and Second Boats in Respect of Their Materials, Archaeological Conditions, and Conservation. 2022. American University in Cairo, Master's Thesis. AUC Knowledge Fountain.
https://fount.aucegypt.edu/etds/1949
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