Image Details

The naval battle between the Sea Peoples and the Egyptians in about 1177 B.C. (The photo coincides with the area marked on the left side of the drawing.) The ships on both sides are nearly identical, having furled sails, a single mast with a crow’s nest and similar rigging. Differences to note are the rectangular shields and the bows used by the Egyptians, in contrast to the round shields and long spears of the Sea Peoples. The horned helmets at center are the mark of a Sea People named the Shardana; the more common feathered headdresses, resembling upright brushes, identify the Philistines and other Sea Peoples.