How to Make an Egyptian Paper Boat

Archaeologists have found hundreds of boats in Egyptian tombs and believe they were placed there so the pharaohs could sail with the gods in the afterlife. The living ancient Egyptians used boats for travel, cargo transport, fishing and in sports competitions. With a square piece of paper you can make your own replica of an ancient Egyptian boat.

Things You'll Need

• Piece of origami paper or square piece of regular paper

Instructions

1. Fold a square piece of paper in half inward and crease the seam. Unfold it.

2. Fold the right half of the paper to the center seam and then fold the left half to the center seam. Crease the two new seams. Leave the paper folded.

3. Fold each of the four corners to the center seam to form four diagonal folds. Crease each one. Do not unfold.

4. Fold the new corners again into the center seam and crease.

5. Your paper will be in a long diamond shape. With the long smooth side facing up, fold the side corners toward the center seam, crease and unfold them again.

6. Without undoing any of the folds, carefully turn the paper inside out to produce the boat.

Tips & Warnings

• This project is easier to do if you use origami paper.

References

• Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs: How to Make a Paper Boat
• Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs: Egyptian Boat Information

Resources

• How to make a paper boat