Today's Google Doodle marks the 65th anniversary of the Khufu ship's discovery.
On this day in 1954, one of the world's oldest and largest boats was found buried near Egypt's biggest pyramid, in Giza.
It is said to have survived for more than 4,600 years and is believed to have been built for Khufu, the second pharaoh of the Fourth Dynasty of the Old Kingdom of Egypt. He is also entombed within the pyramid.
The ship is now preserved in the Giza Solar boat museum, which is just a few metres away from where it was found 65 years ago.
The discovery happened when archaeologist Kamal el Mallakh unearthed a row of limestone blocks that were covering a rectangular pit.
Inside an airtight enclosure, piles of cedar planks were found, alongside ropes and matting that were needed to rebuild the vessel. More than 1,200 pieces were painstakingly reassembled, a process that was overseen by Haj Ahmed Youssef, a restorer from the Egyptian Department of Antiquities, who studied Ancient Egyptian boat-making before he embarked on the project. He also visited Nile shipyards before reconstruction began.
It took more than 10 years to fully restore the vessel, which is 44.6 metres long and six metres wide, without using any nails.
Its original use remains a mystery and a debate among scholars. Some believe it was used to ferry the pharoah's body to his final resting place, while others think it was a "solar barge" placed there in order to transport Khufu's soul to heaven, similar to the Atet, the barge of the Egyptian sun god Ra.
Whatever it was used for, its discovery remains as significant now as it did the day it was discovered, and is one of the best-preserved vessels from antiquity.
Today's Google Doodle of the Khufu Ship is being shown across the Middle East and North Africa, as well as in Russia, Slovakia the UK, and Australia and New Zealand.
Look through the gallery below to see more recent Google Doodles that have been inspired by the Arab world:
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A Google Doodle celebrating Egyptian actress Karima Mokhtar's 89th birthday. All images: Google -
Egyptian writer Ihsan Abdel Quddous -
Kuwaiti actor and comedian Abdulhussain Abdulredha's 83rd birthday -
UAE National Day 2022 Google Doodle. -
Ousha Al Suwaidi was a poetess from the United Arab Emirates. -
Prof. Hamed Abdel Fattah Goher was an Egyptian oceanographer, scientist and TV presenter. -
Tunisia's Tawhida Ben Cheikh was a pioneer in women's medicine. -
Google Doodle of Egyptian actor and director Nour El-Sherif honours him on what would have been his 75th birthday. -
Google celebrates Syrian-Egyptian composer and actor Farid Al Atrash with a Google Doodle to mark what would have been his 110th birthday. -
Children's author Notaila Rashed is honoured with a special Google Doodle to mark her 86th birthday. -
Egyptian actress, producer, writer and filmmaker Bahiga Hafez was born 112 years ago, on August 4. -
The Google Doodle for January 20, 2020, celebrates Mufidah Abdul Rahman, Egypt's first female lawyer. -
A Google Doodle on June 10, 2019, celebrates Egyptian author Ahmed Khaled Towfik. -
Google Doodle honours Persian mathematician, poet and astronomer Omar Khayyam on what would have been his 971st birthday. -
Mary Mounib was a renowned actress in the Egyptian cinema scene. Her 114th birthday is marked in a Google Doodle on February 11, 2019. -
Egyptian poet Gamila El Alaily is honoured in a Google Doodle on March 20, 2019. -
Syrian artist Louay Kayali is the subject of Google's doodle on January 20, 2019. -
Egyptian-French singer and actress Dalida is honoured on her birthday by Google Doodle, on January 17, 2019. -
Egyptian actress Hind Rostom is celebrated in a Google Doodle on her 87th birthday, on November 12, 2018. -
Ibn Sina, one of the greatest thinkers of Islam's golden age, is honoured on August 7, 2018. -
A Google Doodle honours Saudi musician Talal Maddah on what would have been his 78th birthday, on August 5, 2018. -
A Google Doodle gif marks Egyptian actor Omar Sharif's birthday on April 10, 2018. -
Egyptian poet Farouk Shousha is honoured by Google on what would have been his 82nd birthday, on January 9, 2018. -
Google celebrates Lebanese singer Sabah's 90th birthday on November 10, 2017. -
Egyptian painter Inji Aflatoun's Google Doodle pays homage to her style of bold brushstrokes. -
Google celebrates the birthday of Algerian painter Mohammed Khadda, who was born on March 14, 1930. -
Lebanese singer-songwriter Melham Barakat is honoured by Google on his birthday.
