tHIS PRACTICE HAS TO DO WITH THE RISE AND SETTING OF THE SUN, WHICH REPRESENTED THE LIFE CYCLE. REBIRTH IS SIGNIFIED BY THE EAST AND THE WEST COORESPONDS TO DEATH. THE EGYPTIANS BELIEVED THAT THE SPIRITS OF THE DEAD,IN THE WEST, WOULD BE READY FOR THE CYCLE OF LIFE.
it is believed that five boats were placed around each pyramid because
they believed it was a "solar boat" that could be used by the dead pharoh.
THe pharoh would journey across the sky from east to west to be united
with the solar god re. There is another theory that says the boat was used
to carry the body of the deceased in his journey before he was buried in
the pyramid.