Fifth Dynasty Travelling Ship

This carving represents a passenger ship from early Egyptian times ( 2450 BC ) . Most Egyptian ships were built to travel the Nile and this one is no exception.

Egyptian ships were made of wood, which was scarce in Egypt and imported from where Lebanon is today. The planking was dovetailed, pinned, fitted, and sewn (internally) together. The unusual shaping of the outboard planking and the deck planking was common as shipbuilders utilized every piece of wood they had and " jigsaw puzzled " them together to achieve the desired result.

In ancient times the ships on the Nile sailed upstream because the wind blows south on the Nile. To go downstream the crew then worked oars that were held in leather oarloops that ran through the holes seen on the top railing. Deck planks near the sides were removed and the crossbeams ( thwarts ) served as seats for the oarsmen .