It is a city shrouded in myth, swallowed by the Mediterranean
Sea and buried in sand and mud for more than 1,200 years. But now
archeologists are unearthing the mysteries of Heracleion, uncovering
amazingly well-preserved artifacts that tell the story of a vibrant
classical-era port.
Known as Heracleion to the ancient Greeks and Thonis to the ancient Eygptians, the city was rediscovered in 2000 by French underwater archaeologist Dr. Franck Goddio and a team from the European Institute for Underwater Acheology
(IEASM) after a four-year geophysical survey. The ruins of the lost
city were found 30 feet under the surface of the Mediterranean Sea in
Aboukir Bay, near Alexandria. See some of the Artifacts found after the cut...
A new documentary highlights the major discoveries that have been unearthed at Thonis-Heracleion
during a 13-year excavation. Exciting archeological finds help describe
an ancient city that was not only a vital international trade hub but
possibly an important religious center.
Experts have marveled at the variety of artifacts found and have been equally impressed by how well preserved they are.
“The
archaeological evidence is simply overwhelming,” Professor Sir Barry
Cunliffe, a University of Oxford archeologist taking part in the
excavation, said in a press release obtained by The Huffington Post. “By
lying untouched and protected by sand on the sea floor for centuries
they are brilliantly preserved.”
A panel of experts presented their findings at an Oxford University conference on the Thonis-Heracleion excavation earlier this year.
But
despite all the excitement over the excavation, one mystery about
Thonis-Heracleion remains largely unsolved: Why exactly did it sink?
Goddio's team suggests the weight of large buildings on the region's
water-logged clay and sand soil may have caused the city to sink in the wake of an earthquake.
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