The sunken Egyptian city of Heracleion, which disappeared into the Mediterranean Sea over a thousand years ago, is often linked to the legend of Atlantis.
Among the recent discoveries shared by French marine archaeologist Franck Goddio are gold jewelry, silver vessels, and a peculiar bronze container shaped like a duck. The Franco-Egyptian search team led by Monsieur Goddio also uncovered a lapis lazuli jed—an upright symbol of stability adorned with Egyptian hieroglyphs. To top off this treasure, archaeologists found a “creepy” ceramic hand protruding from the sediment.
Background You Should Know
For centuries, Heracleion was Egypt’s largest port on the Mediterranean until Alexander the Great founded the city of Alexandria in 331 B.C.
Scholars have often referred to Heracleion as Egypt’s version of Atlantis, although many have doubted the existence of the mythical island-state altogether.
In contrast, Heracleion was very much real. It was established around the 8th century B.C. and became a mandatory port for all ships arriving from the Greek world to Egypt. Throughout its history, Heracleion faced the devastating forces of earthquakes and tsunamis. Ultimately, after another earthquake, the city completely sank into the depths of the Mediterranean, likely in the 8th century A.D. The ruins of this port city lie underwater, approximately 7 kilometers off the coast of Egypt, as reported by the Daily Mail.
Franck Goddio rediscovered Heracleion in 2000, describing his initial findings as “precious” and “moving.” Now, new geophysical exploration technologies have aided the scientist’s team in uncovering cavities and previously unknown objects buried beneath several meters of clay.
What Goddio’s Team Unearthed
Recent excavations conducted in July of this year focused on the southern canal of the lost city. Primarily, archaeologists concentrated on the remains of a large temple dedicated to the Egyptian air god Amun.
According to Goddio, the massive stone blocks of the temple collapsed during a catastrophic event dated to the mid-2nd century B.C.
Among the finds at the temple site were silver ritual tools, gold jewelry, and delicate alabaster containers, likely used for perfumes.
Two ritual vessels intended for libations to the gods were made of silver, a metal considered extremely valuable in Ancient Egypt.
To the east of the Temple of Amun, the team also discovered a Greek sanctuary dedicated to Aphrodite, the ancient Greek goddess of love and beauty. Here, archaeologists stumbled upon imported bronze and ceramic items, including a 4th-century B.C. bronze vessel shaped like a duck, resting among ceramic pots. It may have been used for pouring wine.
These artifacts further confirm that the Greeks, who were allowed to trade and settle in the city during the reign of the Saite dynasty in the 7th-6th centuries B.C., built their own sanctuaries here.
Previous finds from Heracleion, such as statues of pharaohs and deities, were once exhibited at the British Museum in London.