For millennia the Nile River has connected people living in the towns and cities along its banks. Ancient Egyptians used boats, barges, and other watercraft as their main forms of transportation to conduct commerce, state business, and religious pilgrimages. Skilled sailors, like the 15 men represented here, rowed north with the river’s current or sailed south with the prevailing winds. This model boat was placed in a tomb chamber to ensure that the deceased would be able to travel for eternity.