This is good....Archaeologists getting their hands dirty!

[Minimalist]

http://www.physorg.com/news155399472.html

She ought to know. Ward, an associate professor of anthropology at The Florida State University, and an international team of archaeologists, shipwrights and sailors recently built a full-scale replica of a 3,800-year-old ship and sailed it on the Red Sea to re-create a voyage to a place the ancient Egyptians called God’s Land, or Punt. Their expedition was financed and filmed as part of a French documentary that will air internationally and on an upcoming episode of “Nova.”

“This project has demonstrated the extraordinary capability of the Egyptians at sea,” Ward said. “Many people, including my fellow archaeologists, think of the Egyptians as tied to the Nile River and lacking in the ability to go to sea. For 25 years, my research has been dedicated to showing the scope of their ability and now, to proving their independently invented approach to ship construction worked magnificently at sea.”

[Nigel Di Salvia]

It’s a pity that they couldn’t complete the voyage due to the threat of pirates. Maybe they should enlist the help of local governments and try to get some military support? If Ward could complete a successful voyage it would spark more interest in the surrounding regions, which could help in hindering pirate activity in the area.

The determination to haul a ship of that size, piece by piece across the desert, and the technology that the ancient Egyptians had is astounding.

[Minimalist]

In that area, NIgel, the problem is that the pirates work for what passes as the 'government.'