Archaeologists Stunned by Ancient Egyptian Pleasure Boat Discovery Off Alexandria Coast
A team of European archaeologists has made an astonishing discovery off the coast of Alexandria, Egypt, unearthing an ancient Egyptian pleasure boat that matches a description by the first-century Greek historian Strabo. The 35-meter-long vessel, dating back to the first half of the first century AD, boasts a central pavilion with a luxuriously decorated cabin, indicating it was reserved for high-ranking officials and members of the royal court.
According to Franck Goddio, the excavator of the site and visiting professor in maritime archaeology at Oxford University, the find is "extremely exciting" as it marks the first time such a boat has been discovered in Egypt. The ancient texts and iconography describing cabin-boats from the period depict vessels much smaller than this impressive 35-meter-long vessel.
The pleasure boat was found lying approximately 7 meters underwater, with its bow flat and stern round – features that would have allowed it to navigate shallow waters. Goddio believes the boat could have been part of a sacred barge attached to the temple or even part of the naval ceremony of the Navigium Isidis, which celebrated the goddess Isis.
Graffiti in Greek was discovered on the central carling, although its meaning remains to be deciphered. Research into the wreck is still in its early stages but promises to shed new light on "life, religion, luxury and pleasure on the waterways of early Roman Egypt."
The discovery underscores the importance of exploring and preserving our shared cultural heritage. While many treasures have been unearthed from the sunken city of Thonis-Heracleion and parts of Canopus, this latest find highlights the need for continued excavation efforts.
As Prof Damian Robinson, director of the Oxford Centre for Maritime Archaeology, noted: "It's a type of ship that's never been found before. While we can read about cabin-boats in ancient texts and see them in the artistic record, it's phenomenal to have the archaeological correlate."
The wreck will remain on the seabed, following UNESCO regulations that prioritize preserving marine heritage over its potential for commercial exploitation.
Goddio and his team are set to resume their excavations, eager to uncover more secrets from Egypt's rich past.
A team of European archaeologists has made an astonishing discovery off the coast of Alexandria, Egypt, unearthing an ancient Egyptian pleasure boat that matches a description by the first-century Greek historian Strabo. The 35-meter-long vessel, dating back to the first half of the first century AD, boasts a central pavilion with a luxuriously decorated cabin, indicating it was reserved for high-ranking officials and members of the royal court.
According to Franck Goddio, the excavator of the site and visiting professor in maritime archaeology at Oxford University, the find is "extremely exciting" as it marks the first time such a boat has been discovered in Egypt. The ancient texts and iconography describing cabin-boats from the period depict vessels much smaller than this impressive 35-meter-long vessel.
The pleasure boat was found lying approximately 7 meters underwater, with its bow flat and stern round – features that would have allowed it to navigate shallow waters. Goddio believes the boat could have been part of a sacred barge attached to the temple or even part of the naval ceremony of the Navigium Isidis, which celebrated the goddess Isis.
Graffiti in Greek was discovered on the central carling, although its meaning remains to be deciphered. Research into the wreck is still in its early stages but promises to shed new light on "life, religion, luxury and pleasure on the waterways of early Roman Egypt."
The discovery underscores the importance of exploring and preserving our shared cultural heritage. While many treasures have been unearthed from the sunken city of Thonis-Heracleion and parts of Canopus, this latest find highlights the need for continued excavation efforts.
As Prof Damian Robinson, director of the Oxford Centre for Maritime Archaeology, noted: "It's a type of ship that's never been found before. While we can read about cabin-boats in ancient texts and see them in the artistic record, it's phenomenal to have the archaeological correlate."
The wreck will remain on the seabed, following UNESCO regulations that prioritize preserving marine heritage over its potential for commercial exploitation.
Goddio and his team are set to resume their excavations, eager to uncover more secrets from Egypt's rich past.
i can only imagine what it would be like to sail on a luxury boat like that back in the day 
it's crazy that we get to learn about these ancient civilizations through artifacts like this, and not just from old texts 
. Can't they just leave it be? This pleasure boat is like 2k years old, what's the big deal? It's not like it's gonna change our lives or anything 
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, but can't they just leave a note saying "Hey guys, this is where we found this boat"? It's not like it's gonna make the discovery any more impressive 
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. I mean, come on, it's 2025, can't we do better than this?! 
And the fact that it was found with a fancy cabin and stuff is just so... basic. Can't they just stick to building something practical for once? 
I mean, what's next? Digging up an ancient Egyptian toilet or something? 
And don't even get me started on the graffiti in Greek - who knows what it means anyway? Just some old random scribbles that nobody cares about. 
can you believe this thing is like 2k yrs old and still impressing ppl? idk how they managed to build something so massive for ancient egypt but i guess that's what happens when u gotta cater to royalty 
i mean imagine sailing around ancient egypt on a boat like that 
it must have been such a luxury thing back then 
anyway its awesome that they got to find it after all these years and now theres still so much more to learn about it 
! 35 meters long? That's even longer than some houses I know 
! It's crazy thinking about all the parties and fancy stuff that must have gone on on this boat 
. I mean, I'm sure the history buffs are super stoked 
. And btw, why is there graffiti on the boat from ancient Greece? Was this a major cultural exchange thing going on back then? 
Oh man, can you even imagine being there when they discovered this? It's like stepping back in time... the thought of high-ranking officials cruising around on a 35m luxury boat is just wild 
The fact that they found it in shallow waters and all the details about it... it's just so cool 
. anyway, i guess its cool that they found this thing and stuff... i mean, it is pretty neat to see these ancient texts come to life... but also kinda sad that we cant just walk up to the boat and be all "hey what's up" 
. and lol at graffitii in greek still being a mystery 
I'm all about exploring our shared cultural heritage, and this find just proves how much we still have to learn from history. 
... The fact that it's been lying underwater for so long is just crazy to think about. I hope they get to uncover more secrets from it soon! 
