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Photo: Franck Goddio / Hitti Foundation
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An Egyptian-French expedition led by the European Institute of Underwater Archeology discovered the remains of a warship and a burial complex from the beginning of the 4th century BC. in the sunken city of Tonis-Heraklion in the Gulf of Abukir near Alexandria, the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities of Egypt announced, BTA reported.
The vessel was found under a nearly 5-meter layer of sludge mixed with the remains of the ruined temple of Amon, using a prototype of the latest generation electronic scanning device. It appears that the ship was preparing to dock in the canal next to the south facade of the temple when a catastrophic event occurred.
French archaeologist Frank Godio points out that the remains of ships from this era are extremely rare, and one of the rare examples is the Punic ship in Marsala from 235 BC. Until its discovery in the port of the Sicilian city, vessels from the Hellenistic era were completely unknown from an archaeological point of view, the scientist added.
Initial research shows that the hull of the warship found in Tonis-Heraklion used the classic technology of concave and spike joints and reinforced internal structure, said the director of the Egyptian Central Department of Underwater Antiquities Ehab Fahmi. However, Egyptian techniques are also presented. The ship had oars, but also a large sail, as evidenced by the size of the step of the mast. The bottom and keel are flat, making it suitable for sailing on the Nile and its delta. The typical ancient Egyptian shipbuilding characteristics, as well as the reuse of wood, show that the vessel was built in Egypt.
In another part of the sunken city, along the northeastern entrance canal, archaeologists have found the remains of a large Greek burial complex dating back to the early 4th century BC. The discovery is an illustration of the presence of Greek merchants in Tonis-Heraklion. They controlled the entrance to Egypt along the arm of the Nile at Canopos. During the late Pharaonic dynasties, the Greeks were allowed to settle in the city and build their own sanctuaries near the temple of Amun.
Before the founding of Alexandria by Alexander the Great in 331 BC. Tonis-Heraklion is the largest Mediterranean port in Egypt for centuries. Together with the city of Canopos, however, it sank into the sea. The probable cause is a series of earthquakes, followed by tidal waves that flooded and undermined a 110-square-kilometer strip of the Nile Delta. and cause it to fail.
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