Harry Tzalas, was born in Alexandria in 1936. He completed his studies there at the Lycée Français and obtained a “Certificat de Hautes études commerciales”.

After three years in Northern Brazil where he had his first contact with marine ethnoarchaeolog, he settled in Athens and focused his research on the similarities and differences between traditional and ancient Greek boatbuilding. He led two programs in nautical experimental archaeology, the “Kyrenia II” (1981-85) and the “Papyrella” (1984-85), as well as collaborating on the construction of the “Athenian Trireme” (1985-87). He later followed classes with Professor Helen Antoniadi-Bibikou in Byzantine History at the École des hautes études en sciences sociales (1995-97). Starting in 1985, Harry Tzalas organized the “Tropis Symposia”, a series of ten international conferences on Ship Construction in Antiquity. In 1997, he was granted a concession from the Egyptian authorities for an underwater archaeological survey of the extended eastern Alexandrian coastline and over the past 20 years has headed the Greek Mission in a total of 30 campaigns. In addition tho his numerous scientific publications Harry Tzalas is also the author of several works of fiction.