Papyrus boats were useful for hunting or crossing short stretches of water, using a paddle or a pole. These boats were made of bundles of bound papyrus reeds, and were lashed together into a long thin hull form in the style of a slight crescent. This lifted the ends out of the water. The bundle was made as wide as possible for stability, ansd an extra bundle was put on top so that the cargo and crew were kept reasonable dry. ( Reed vessels like these of Ancient Egypt ares till in use in Peru today.)

Cedar was very important to the Egyptians as a boat building material. These boats were built of relatuvely short blocks of timber, and were braced and secured with rope lashings very much in the same style that was used in papyrus boats. This wooden model of the funery boats found at Thebes, with its two pointed ends rising out of the water, is a good example.