Coast of Alexandria, Egypt
Egypt`s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities has announced the successful recovery of three monumental statues from the Mediterranean seabed near the coast of Alexandria, in the northern part of the country.
According to the ministry’s official statement, these colossal artifacts were discovered and meticulously extracted from the waters of Abu Qir Bay, an area located in the suburban expanse of Alexandria.
The recovered treasures include a distinctive quartz sphinx statue adorned with a cartouche (an oval enclosing a royal name) belonging to Pharaoh Ramesses II. Additionally, a granite statue of an as-yet-unidentified figure from the Ptolemaic dynasty was brought to the surface, alongside a white marble statue believed to depict a member of the ancient Roman nobility.
Sherif Fathy, Egypt`s Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, emphasized the strategic approach to managing the country`s underwater cultural heritage. He noted that while certain artifacts would remain submerged to maintain their historical context and integrity, others would be carefully retrieved in strict adherence to scientific standards and under rigorous supervision.
Mohammed Ismail Khaled, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities of Egypt, highlighted the significance of this event, pointing out that this marks the first time in 25 years that Egyptian authorities have independently conducted such an operation to retrieve artifacts from the Mediterranean Sea.
Abu Qir Bay is famously known as the location of the ancient sunken city of Heracleion. Scholars theorize that Heracleion was established around the 8th century BCE and functioned as a crucial trading center and port for ancient Egypt, prior to the founding of Alexandria in 331 BCE. The city gradually succumbed to the sea approximately 1200 years ago, and its extensive ruins now lie at varying depths, up to 45 meters underwater. Discovered by archaeologists in the year 2000, Heracleion is widely celebrated as one of the world`s most fascinating underwater museums.
