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The Solarboat Museum of the Pyramid of Cheops - Giza Plateau - Egypt
The boat played a special part in funeral ceremonies in Ancient Egypt. Not only was a boat required to carry the body across the Nile for burial, but it was a symbol of the journey of the soul in the Boat of Ra to be judged before Osiris in the underworld. (See The Journey of Egypt's Greatest Magician to the Underworld)
The Solarboat Museum at the base of the Pyramid of Cheops in Egypt contains the actual, reconstructed boat that was used in the funerary ceremonies of the Pharaoh Cheops over 4000 year ago. This boat was probably used to carry the body across the Nile to the Pyramid on the Giza Plateau. Several boats were used in the ceremonies. Five boat pits have been found around the Pyramid of Cheops in stone lined pits, excavated into the Giza Plateau.
Funerary ceremonies would have included rituals carrying the body along the Nile to the Funerary Temple to be mummified, rituals during the mummification period, the ritual journey up the darkened causeway, entombment ceremonies and the actual placement of the body in the sarcophagus in the pyramid.
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A model of a typical pyramid complex This model of a pyramid complex shows the causeway that connected the funerary temple with the mortuary temple. During the burial portion of the ceremony, a boat carrying the mummified body was dragged up a covered causeway that connected the funerary temple with the mortuary temple. Following the entombment ceremonies, the boat was buried beside the pyramid in a large pit, along with others connected with the ceremonies. |
Boats are shown in the tombs of the nobles as being used to draw the sarcophagus to the tomb. This example is from the Tomb of Roy. Other tombs show the boats as they are crossing the Nile with all the funeral goods and the mourners.
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The Solarboat Museum is climate controlled to protect the boat, and is therefore a pleasant site to visit toward the middle of the day as the heat increases. The walkways are built beside the boat, allowing good views of all aspects of the boat. |
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The Solarboat Museum is built over the pit that contained the boat. The boat was discovered after World War II. This is the pit and the cover stones. You can see another excavated solar biat pit, outside, in front of the pyramid. |
