The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-10-15
OLDEST BOAT KNOWN.
Small Craft in Use 4,5o0 Years Ago Added
to Museum.

There is in Chicago one of the five old
est small boats known to exist in the
world. 1t has just come, all packed and
stayed for its long voyage, from the
Gizeh Museum of Antiquities at Cairo.
To the generosity Of Mrs. Cyrus MoCor-
indebted for a rare gift. q. E. Aver
learned in the course of his search for
interesting things in Cairo last wiuter
that there had been placed in the Gizeh
Museum three boats of marvellous age
and curious design. Investigation proved
value, for never before in archaeological
history have there been discovered any
thing of the kind which approached
these boats in age aud interest A Vik-
ing craft found in Norway some time
ago was of use in about the year 100 A.
the oldest specimen Of water craft in ex-
istence. The boats in the Gizeh Muse
UNI, it was decided by the learned ones.
were used at least $500 year ago, and
were oontemporaneous with the Dashur
pyramids Of the eleventh Egyptian dy-
nasty.
With this boat, which will be installed
In the museum, and the two which re-
main In the Cairo museum, were two
more, which still rests in the sands
which stretohd desolately from the
Darahur pyramids, near which they
oil Re- 31 tod hot hn
fore long the remainging two will be
brought to Cairo and properly installed.
The five boats were found buried at
considerable depth not far from the IA
nous largest pyramid. and in sIoh or
derby form and with such mathematical
relationship to the great pile of stone
that it was evident that they had been
buried with design at that particular
spot. All were brought to the light and
air at once, and, after examination by
scholars, proving their marvellous age,
their preservation from the elemenst was
at once deemed necessary.
The boats were found to be alike in
the material of which they were con-
structed ami In their general dimensions.
The cedar of antiquity, which entered
into 80 much OF the construction Of
things of wood, was used for building
these boats. While the equipments of the
boats had generally disappeared with
time, the edges and ends were ragged
and little warped, their shapely outlines
still remained, SO Iigidly in evidence
that the modeler's skill in giving grace
and shapeliness was evident. The boat
that is In Chicago now was well, If not
better, preserved than any. 1t il 80 feet
long, feet of beam and feet of hold.
It had been propelled, of course, by oars,
but the points OF contact for the oars
were not in evidence. A well preserved
and peculiarly marked and designed
piece of rudder of wood was found near
the boats. and that hos been brought to
Chicago as the accompaniment of the
boat now here
Two Of the boats were propped up and
covered for preservation until they could
be moved, and three Of them were put in
shape to be carried to Cairo The Dashur
pyramids are nearly twenty miles above
Cairo, on the opposite side of the river,
and some seven miles from the bank.
Eighty men were required to carry the
boats. enc at time, to the river steamer
on which they were transferred to Cairo.
There, in tina museum, they were
propped and stayed with iron and cedar
sufficiently to preserve them for exhibit
ton. About five per cent. of the origi-
nal amount of wood was all that was
necessary to add. Hrom the design and
decoration of these boats 1t is presumed
they were in distinguished use suoh as
for the transportation of spices, per-
fumes and offerings of the nature that
were carried to the res ting place of the
royal dsnd in the pyramids. Having
performed these sacred duties for allotted
times and persons, 1T is supposed they
were then placed to remain forever near
the age-cnduring mausoieums of the dy-
nasties they served in life and DEATH
Chicago Journal.