The Ra Expeditions by Thor Heyerdahl

[watervole]

 

Could the ancient Egyptians have reached South America? There are enough clues in archeological remains and in the legends of bearded white men to suggest the possibility.

There is really only one way to determine if that is possible, and that is to recreate a papyrus boat using the paintings in ancient tombs as a guide.

I first read this book many years ago and came back to it recently when copy turned up in the charity shop where I volunteer It holds up very well. Although it is slow to get going, it really gets interesting when they start work on building the boat and is riveting when they are at sea.

There is a point when they are half-way across the Atlantic in the middle of a storm, when you think: "These men are crazy to even attempt sailing a reed boat across the ocean."



The most fascinating aspect of the book is what the journey helps reveal of the sailing and construction details of the ancient Egyptian boats. Details that make no sense on a wall painting suddenly make vital sense after a month at sea. Everything from rope thickness to the way the mast is supported become relevant in the context of sailing a boat that does not have a rigid hull.

Definitely worth reading - if you enjoy this, you'll probably also enjoy 'The Benden Voyage' by Tim Severin, and Heyerdahl's 'Kon Tiki'.

Comments

[kerravonsen]

I saw the movie! It was cool.

[sammason.livejournal.com]

They didn't even know that there was a far shore to reach!

[linda-joyce.livejournal.com]

Wouldn't have mattered, there is always some one with itchy feet and charisma to convince others. And the first Egyptian sailors to get there could have been blown west by gales when heading to Britain to trade for tin, slaves and other things. The big rivers from the south American area push land debris way out into the Atlantic. Not knowing where they were the sailors would likely have followed those backwards and found South America.
I was watching a Discovery documentary that said some mummies showed up as having cocaine either in or on them but considering the places they had been and the lack of care in which they wee kept in the 19th Century could have been recent contamination. Then again it might have been because they were coke heads, the scientists couldn't be sure one way or another.

[watervole.livejournal.com]

The Egyptians/Phoenicians had already circumnavigated Africa (it took three years). The Ancients knew the world was round. There is a record of a major colonisation voyage to somewhere in Africa (did know where, but have forgotten).

Heyerdahl's theory was that people who lost control of their raft (perhaps a broken rudder) would get swept to South America by the current (which they would).

Personally, having thought about it, I suspect a major expedition of some kind (possibly after some earlier discovery). The cultural similarities run from pyramid building to mummification, but the most significant for me is the way the Spanish were welcomed when they arrived. The natives expected bearded white men coming across the sea.

[vjezkova.livejournal.com]

I can remember Sundays when I was a child: My 8-year older brother used to spend Sunday mornings in a nearby cinemy with me and I can vividly remember a black-and-white docummentaries that were the only programme. One of the films was "At the Sign of Kon-Tiki" about Thor Heyerdahl´s journey including a construction of that ship made of balsa wood. We still have a book,and of course I know his Ra expedition and his theories. Nothing is impossible, espacially, like you say, the ships´ designs are more sophisticated than they seem...plus the legends (in which always at least a speck is true).
Also I would like to remind a Czech engineer Pavel Pavel who, together with T.Heyerdahl, tried to prove that the giant and mysterious "moai" sculptures can be moved with promitive equippment. True, he managed it but once only and even though he wrote a book about it and had lots of lectures, his experiment was not fully convincing. You can believe me, Pavel Pavel published his book in the same Publishing House I worked with then:-)

[watervole.livejournal.com]

Here's another moai theory you might find interesting. http://www.livescience.com/37277-easter-island-statues-walked-there.html

[vjezkova.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[sallymn.livejournal.com]

I vaguely recall reading that (and it's referenced in quite a few of my other books). Wonder if it's in the library?

[watervole.livejournal.com]

If it isn't, you can get cheap copies second hand.

[sallymn.livejournal.com]

True, and a good excuse to head to the second-hand book shops.... :)

[eledonecirrhosa.livejournal.com]

I read the Kon-Tiki Expedition one when I was a teenager, though all I can recall now is that they discovered that balsa wood may be nice and light, but it waterlogs very swiftly. Oh dear!

[watervole.livejournal.com]

But I seem to recall they also found that balsa wood cut fresh still has the sap in it and this makes the raft last much longer.

I'm going to reread Kon Tiki soon.