Model of a boat
- Audio guide stop: 362
- Gallery: Room 63
- Culture: 12th Dynasty
- Object type: model group, boat, figure
- Materials: wood
- Museum number: EA35292
- Museum: The British Museum
- Collection record: British Museum website
- Image © The Trustees of the British Museum, shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 licence.
Listen to the free audio guide
About this object
Before you is a wooden model of a sailing boat from the 12th Dynasty of ancient Egypt. This model boat, carved from wood and painted in red and white, gives a striking view into life on the Nile. The boat is deep and sturdy with a slightly raised deck at the front and a unique curling stern. It features a tall mast with intricate patterns and grooves, reflecting careful craftsmanship. The crew and owner figures, dressed in colorful garments and seated in various roles, tell a visual story of travel and command. Notably, one figure stands with a pose likely suggesting use of a sounding pole, emphasizing the boat’s practical purpose. The model was purchased in 1901 and has been preserved with remarkable detail, offering a glimpse into ancient Egyptian shipbuilding and daily life.
See it in person
Model of a boat is on display in Room 63 at the British Museum on Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury, London — free to enter. Choose British Museum on audioguide.london and type its audio guide stop number, 362, from the gallery label, or take a photo of it, to hear this free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
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