Egyptian authorities have recovered ancient artifacts from a sunken city off the coast of Abu Qir Bay near Alexandria. The relics date back over 2,000 years and include statues, Roman coins, and other historical remains. The site is believed to be an extension of the ancient city of Canopus, which was a prominent center during the Ptolemaic dynasty.
Cranes pulled the artifacts from the depths, while divers in wetsuits cheered from the shore. Egyptian Tourism and Antiquities Minister Sherif Fathi said that only specific materials were retrieved due to strict criteria, with most remaining part of the sunken heritage.
The underwater ruins include limestone buildings for worship, residential spaces, commercial structures, reservoirs, and rock-carved ponds. Notable finds include statues of royal figures, sphinxes from the pre-Roman era, and a partially preserved sphinx with Ramses II’s cartouche. Some artifacts are missing body parts, such as a beheaded Ptolemaic figure and a Roman nobleman’s likeness.
The site was first discovered in 1859, but numerous shipwrecks have been found in Abu Qir Bay, including the wreckage of Napoleon’s fleet from the 1798 Battle of the Nile. Alexandria is now at risk due to climate change and rising sea levels, with a third of the city predicted to be underwater or uninhabitable by 2050.
Source: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/photos-egypt-artifacts-sunken-city-mediterranean-sea