An Ancient Egyptian temple and Greek sanctuary containing a wealth of treasures have been discovered off the coast of Alexandria
An ancient Egyptian temple dedicated to the god Amun, and a sanctuary dedicated to the Greek goddess Aphrodite, have been discovered in the ancient sunken city of Thonis-Heracleion, located in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Alexandria.
The discovery was made by a joint Egyptian-French archaeological expedition, undertaken by the European Institute for Underwater Archaeology (IEASM), under the leadership of Franck Goddio, who discovered the ancient site just outside Alexandria’s Abu Qir Bay in 2000.
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Thonis-Heracleion was an ancient port city, which first appears in the historical records of Ancient Greece as far back as the 12th century BC. For hundreds of years, it was the port of entry into Egypt for Greek shipping, until being replaced by the city of Alexandria, which rose to prominence in the second century BC.
Thonis-Heracleion’s decline was caused by some sort of natural disaster – an earthquake, possibly followed by a tsunami, caused the soil below the city to liquefy. Following the collapse of the city’s infrastructure, its remains began to slowly sink below the surface, although it remained visible until the 8th century AD before disappearing beneath the waves completely, where it remained undisturbed for 1200 years.
Goddio and his IEASM team located the twin city after a five-year search, using a combination of historical records and modern technology. Goddio’s findings indicated that Thonis-Heracleion was in its prime from the sixth to the fourth century BC, before falling into disuse following the disaster that befell it toward the end of the second century BC, and the corresponding rise of Alexandria.
The latest discovery was made as a team of divers investigated the city’s southern canal, into which the temple to Amun collapsed during the cataclysm.
Treasures that were unearthed during the excavation included ‘silver ritual instruments, gold jewellery and fragile alabaster containers for perfumes or unguents’, according to a report on Goddio’s website, in which he writes they ‘bear witness to the wealth of this sanctuary and the piety of the former inhabitants of the port city.’
To the east of the temple of Amun, the divers discovered a Greek sanctuary dedicated to Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, which yielded a number of treasures, but also gave an insight into the Greek presence in the city during the time of the Pharaohs, as the Greeks were allowed to live, trade, and worship at their own temples. Findings of Greek weapons also indicated the presence of Greek soldiers in the city.
A huge range of artefacts have been discovered since the ruins of Thonis-Heracleion were located by Goddio and his team. Having been sunken and buried by sand, the site has not been subjected to the looting evident at other Egyptian landmarks such as the Great Pyramids and the Valley of the Kings.
Around 70 ships have been located near the city, as well as coins, statues, jewellery and pottery indicative of a rich and thriving city. In 2022, Goddio said that he thought just 5 per cent of the city had been studied so far.
