A 59-foot-long reproduction of an ancient Near Eastern trading vessel has successfully sailed off the coast of Abu Dhabi.
The vessel, called a ‘Magan Boat’ in ancient times after the name of the area encompassing the UAE and parts of Oman today, was built with raw materials described on an ancient clay tablet and using techniques dating back to 2,100 BCE.
The shape of the vessel was based on ancient illustrations of boats and the reconstruction was based on a capacity of 120 Gur, a Bronze Age semi-standard weight equivalent to 36 tons today. The length, width, and depth were determined by a naval engineer using hydrostatic analysis to provide dimensions that would enable the boat to float once the estimated weight of cargo, boat, and crew were added.
The Village Market 
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