The secrets of a mysterious Nile party boat: what exactly lies hidden in the harbour of Alexandria?

Beneath the waters of Alexandria’s eastern harbour, an extraordinary shipwreck has been discovered: a thalamagos, often referred to as a Nile party boat. This new archaeological find paints a more nuanced picture of this iconic type of vessel and prompts scholars to rethink not only the economic, religious and social life of ancient Alexandria, but also how people of the time sought entertainment.

Along Alexandria’s Mediterranean coastline, in what is now the city’s eastern harbour, splendid structures once stood—harbours, palaces and temples—which later sank into the sea. As a result of earthquakes and rising sea levels, these remains disappeared for centuries, until the European Institute for Underwater Archaeology, in cooperation with Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, began to bring them back to light—at least in a scientific sense.

One of the central sites of this research is Antirhodos Island, where archaeologists uncovered the temple of the goddess Isis, renovated by Cleopatra VII, as well as the Timonium, the palace of Mark Antony. Numerous shipwrecks have also been found in the surrounding area, collectively telling the story of how Alexandria evolved from the centre of the Ptolemaic dynasty into one of the Roman world’s most important economic engines—though there has been no shortage of unexpected discoveries either.

The discovery of the Nile party boat

According to The Conversation, during high-resolution sonar mapping of the former Royal Harbour, alongside a smaller vessel and a 30-metre-long merchant ship, researchers identified a peculiar wreck that was initially thought to have served a commercial, cargo-transport function as well.

However, throughout 2025, each dive revealed new details that gradually called this assumption into question. The wreck measures around 28 metres in length and 7 metres in width, with a flat bottom and a broad, box-like hull. Its asymmetrical bow and stern were gracefully curved, lending the original vessel an elegant appearance. At the same time, it lacked a mast step, suggesting that it was not a sailing ship but rather propelled by oars.

Greek decorative motifs carved into the planking indicate that it was built and repaired in Alexandria. Even so, its overall form did not correspond to the parameters of a seagoing cargo ship, deepening the mystery—until researchers turned their attention to ancient written sources.