DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.3720#0130
BOATS.-PAPYRUS PUNTS. 118
•with the brightest colours; and in common boats, used for
carrying goods, or cattle from the farm, it was of sycamore, or
Of open wickerwork.
. Boats had either one rudder turning on the taffrel, or two—
one at each side of the quarter; and in tbose employed for
funereal purposes the eye of Osiris was painted on the rudder-
blades, and on the head of the boat itself. This last custom is
still common in China, and even in the Mediterranean; and the
rudder turning on the tafl'rel is used in the boats of the Loire,
and some other places.
The oars were large at the end, in the form of a lotus leaf,
or diamond shape, or oval; and the sail was of cloth, frequently
painted, or worked, in coloured patterns. Embroidered cloth
for sails is mentioned by Ezekiel, as having been imported from
Egypt to Tyre; and the sails of boats represented in the tomb
of King Eemeses III., at Thebes, are covered with fanciful
iigures, flowers, and other devices, with squares in cheques, and
rich borders worked in various colours.
Many vessels were of very great size, and were employed for
carrying corn and heavy cargoes, especially during the inunda-
tion ; and some ships, mentioned by ancient writers, measured
upwards of 400 feet in length. But these last were rather
objects of caprice than of utility ; or dedicated to some deity,
like that presented by Sesostris to Amun, the god of Thebes,
which was 2S0 cubits, or 420 feet long, and built of cedar.
The papyrus boats were chiefly puuts for fishing, or for
gliding through the feus of the Delta. They were made of the
stalks of some of the many kinds of Cvperus rush, which
abounded in Egypt, and which, though diflering from the real
Biblus used for making paper, were included by the ancients
under the general name papyrus. To construct them, layers of
the stalks, placed lengthwise, were fastened together by bands
•with the brightest colours; and in common boats, used for
carrying goods, or cattle from the farm, it was of sycamore, or
Of open wickerwork.
. Boats had either one rudder turning on the taffrel, or two—
one at each side of the quarter; and in tbose employed for
funereal purposes the eye of Osiris was painted on the rudder-
blades, and on the head of the boat itself. This last custom is
still common in China, and even in the Mediterranean; and the
rudder turning on the tafl'rel is used in the boats of the Loire,
and some other places.
The oars were large at the end, in the form of a lotus leaf,
or diamond shape, or oval; and the sail was of cloth, frequently
painted, or worked, in coloured patterns. Embroidered cloth
for sails is mentioned by Ezekiel, as having been imported from
Egypt to Tyre; and the sails of boats represented in the tomb
of King Eemeses III., at Thebes, are covered with fanciful
iigures, flowers, and other devices, with squares in cheques, and
rich borders worked in various colours.
Many vessels were of very great size, and were employed for
carrying corn and heavy cargoes, especially during the inunda-
tion ; and some ships, mentioned by ancient writers, measured
upwards of 400 feet in length. But these last were rather
objects of caprice than of utility ; or dedicated to some deity,
like that presented by Sesostris to Amun, the god of Thebes,
which was 2S0 cubits, or 420 feet long, and built of cedar.
The papyrus boats were chiefly puuts for fishing, or for
gliding through the feus of the Delta. They were made of the
stalks of some of the many kinds of Cvperus rush, which
abounded in Egypt, and which, though diflering from the real
Biblus used for making paper, were included by the ancients
under the general name papyrus. To construct them, layers of
the stalks, placed lengthwise, were fastened together by bands