Egypt Recovers Sunken Artefacts from Mediterranean Sea After 25 Years
Egypt has recovered new sunken artefacts from the Mediterranean Sea near the northern city of Alexandria for the first time in nearly 25 years, officials said on Thursday.
Divers used ropes to attach four pieces to a crane, which lifted them out of the muddy water one by one. The artefacts were then placed carefully for display during a ceremony held in Alexandria’s Abu Qir Bay.
The pieces include a 2.17-meter long head- and legless granite statue that is believed to belong to the Late Period or the Ptolemaic era, officials said. It is estimated to have originally been 5 metres long.Head of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, Mohamed Ismail Khaled, said the findings are the first recovery of underwater artefacts since 2001.
Thay are part of an excavation project launched in 2023, when archeologists began documenting underwater structures found around 2.5 kilometres from the ancient sunken city of Thonis-Heracleion in Abu Qir Bay, said Khaled.
The site is “considered an extension of the ancient city, as structures found showed economic, burial and other aspects,” Khaled told dpa.
Heracleion, which was discovered in the 1990s, is believed to have been submerged after an earthquake hit egypt in the second century BC.
Thursday’s finds are further proof the city was submerged due to an earthquake, officials said.
“The statue’s body is the strongest part, unlike the legs and head which are easily broken,” Khaled noted.
Archaeologists have also discovered a ship, and further details would be revealed after it is studied underwater, he added.
Egypt has been working on boosting tourism revenues, after the Suez Canal – another main source of national income – was affected by regional turmoil, as attacks prompted many vessels to avoid the waterway.
The Mediterranean country is hoping that the long-awaited official inauguration of the Grand Egyptian Museum, set for November 1, attracts more visitors.
Last month, Tourism Minister Sherif Fathy said that Egypt recorded a 22% increase in the number of tourists during the first half of 2025, reaching 8.7 million visitors,compared to the first six months of 2024.The country hopes to bring that number to
Ancient artifacts, Including Sphinx Statues, Recovered from Mediterranean Seabed off Alexandria
Archaeologists and divers have recovered a remarkable collection of artifacts from the seabed at Abu Qir, a port in Alexandria, Egypt. The finds include fragments of sphinx statues and marble figures dating back to the Roman and Ptolemaic periods, potentially shedding new light on the region’s rich history. https://www.yahoo.com/news/ancient-artifacts-including-sphinx-statues-143849419.html
The underwater excavation,led by the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities,has unearthed relics from what was once a thriving ancient city,believed to be Heracleion and Canopus,which were submerged centuries ago.These cities were major centers of Mediterranean commerce and religious pilgrimage. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/lost-cities-egypt-180976658/
The recovered artifacts are currently undergoing conservation and analysis. Experts hope the discoveries will provide further insights into the artistic, religious, and political life of ancient Egypt during the Ptolemaic and Roman eras. The Ptolemaic period spanned from 305 to 30 BC, following the reign of Alexander the Great, while Roman rule in egypt lasted from 30 BC to 641 AD. https://www.britannica.com/place/Egypt/The-Ptolemaic-period
Further details regarding the specific number and condition of the artifacts are expected to be released as the excavation and research continue. The Egyptian government views these underwater archaeological efforts as crucial for preserving and promoting the country’s cultural heritage.