Overview
- Underwater archaeologists led by Franck Goddio and IEASM documented a large barge wreck off Antirhodos within Alexandria’s Portus Magnus, less than 50 meters from the Temple of Isis.
- The preserved timbers indicate a flat-bottomed vessel about 35 meters long and 7 meters wide with space for a central pavilion, likely propelled solely by oars.
- Greek graffiti on the central carling is preliminarily dated to the first half of the 1st century AD, supporting a construction origin in Alexandria.
- Researchers say this is the first archaeological example of a thalamegos described by ancient authors and iconography, aligning with accounts by Strabo and depictions such as the Nile mosaic of Palestrina.
- The team used photogrammetry, 3D modeling, and wood sampling before reburying the wreck in situ per UNESCO guidance, with radiocarbon dating and further targeted excavations planned.