The ancient Greek historian Herodotus wrote extensively about a ship during his travels to Egypt in 450BC. Now that mysterious Egyptian ship has been unearthed in a sunken city, reports the Dailystar.co.uk.
About the Lost Ship
“It wasn’t until we discovered this wreck that we realized Herodotus was right”, said Damian Robinson one of the explorers.
In his magnum-opus – Historia – he described how the barge used sails made of papyrus, had a mast made of acacia wood and used a rudder that passed through a hole in the keel.
Modern Historians Skeptical
Until recently, however, modern-day historians were unsure whether the boat even existed.
The Ship Details Matched
Damian Robinson, director of Oxford University’s centre for maritime archaeology, told The Guardian: “It wasn’t until we discovered this wreck that we realized Herodotus was right. What Herodotus described was what we were looking at.”
The barges were used to transport goods and soldiers along the Nile river.
Mr Robinson continued: “The one from Thonis–Heracleion was also likely involved in moving goods to and from the emporium”.
Uncovering the Mystery
Herodotus describes the boats as having long internal ribs. Nobody really knew what that meant.
“That structure has never been seen archaeologically before. Then, we discovered this form of construction on this particular boat and it absolutely is what Herodotus has been saying.”
During its golden age, ancient Egypt was one of the most advanced civilisations on Earth.
The culture was so technologically superior compared to its neighbours that some people believe its greatest achievements – such as the pyramids – were built by aliens.
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Source: Dailystar.co.uk
