Egypt-Japan team completes restoration, installation of 16 pieces from Khufu’s Second Boat

An Egyptian-Japanese archaeological team has completed the restoration and installation of 16 wooden pieces forming part of the floor of King Khufu’s Second Boat at the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said. Restoration and reconstruction work on the remaining components of the ancient vessel is continuing inside the Khufu Boats Museum, where visitors can observe the conservation and assembly process as part of an interactive museum experience. The project is being carried out under an integrated plan to reassemble the boat’s wooden components and secure them to a specially designed metal support structure, based on studies and documentation of the original pieces and using advanced conservation techniques.

The project is being implemented through cooperation between the Grand Egyptian Museum, the Supreme Council of Antiquities, and Higashi Nippon International University, with support from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Tourism and Antiquities Minister Sherif Fathy said the restoration and reconstruction of Khufu’s Second Boat demonstrate the specialised expertise developed by Egypt and Japan in conserving organic archaeological materials. He added that the partnership provides an important model for international cooperation in archaeology through the exchange of expertise and the use of advanced scientific methods and technologies to preserve cultural heritage. Ahmed Ghoneim, CEO of the GEM, said the reconstruction of Khufu’s Second Boat represents a major technical and scientific challenge given the condition of the archaeological wood and the large number of pieces requiring careful documentation, treatment, and assembly. He noted that conducting restoration and reconstruction work in front of visitors allows…