The Cleopatra boat discoveries are shedding new light on life and ritual in ancient Egypt after archaeologists uncovered a luxurious pleasure vessel near the ruins of Cleopatra VII’s lost palace. The Cleopatra boat was found submerged in Alexandria’s royal harbor, an area long believed to contain remnants of the controversial queen’s palace complex.
The European Institute for Underwater Archaeology announced the find earlier this month following excavations in the Portus Magnus of Alexandria. The dig, led by French archaeologist Franck Goddio, revealed an ancient vessel known as a thalamegos. These barges were used for feasting, ceremonies, and leisure cruises during the Ptolemaic and early Roman periods.
According to the institute, the ship measures 115 feet long and 23 feet wide, with 92 feet preserved. “Its construction type was to obtain a maximum breadth for the ship to accommodate a central pavilion,” the organization said. “The particularity of the ship is the flat-bottomed hull with a hard chine at the bow and a rounded turn at the stern.”
Archaeologists also discovered Greek graffiti dating to the first half of the first century A.D. While the writing remains undeciphered, officials said it “reinforce[s] the hypothesis that the ship was built in Alexandria.” The vessel “would have had a luxuriously decorated cabin and seems to have been propelled only by oars.”
Goddio suggested the ship may have sunk during the destruction of the Temple of Isis in 50 A.D. “We might also suggest a ritual use for this barge,” he said, noting it may have played a role in ceremonies honoring Isis. Researchers emphasized the investigation remains ongoing.
