Ancient Treasures Recovered From a Sunken City Near Alexandria!

On August 21, 2025, Egyptian archaeologists and divers recovered extraordinary ancient artifacts from the Mediterranean Sea near Alexandria, bringing monumental sculptures to the surface in the country’s first major underwater antiquities recovery operation in 25 years. The operation took place in Abu Qir Bay, where the remains of ancient cities lie submerged beneath the sea. Among the recovered treasures were a massive quartzite sphinx bearing the royal cartouche of Pharaoh Ramesses II, a granite statue dating to the late Ptolemaic period, and a white marble sculpture representing a Roman nobleman. The underwater archaeological site may have formed part of ancient Canopus, an important religious and commercial center that flourished during the Ptolemaic and Roman periods. Following Alexander the Great’s conquest of Egypt in 332 BCE, the region became a major center of trade, connecting Egypt with the wider Mediterranean world. Over the centuries, earthquakes, coastal subsidence and rising sea levels contributed to the submergence of settlements along Egypt’s Mediterranean coastline. Archaeological investigations have also identified ancient buildings, harbor installations, stone anchors and evidence of maritime activity, revealing the importance of this coastal region in antiquity. The recovered sculptures represent different periods of Egyptian history, demonstrating how Egyptian, Greek and Roman traditions coexisted and influenced one another. Many additional archaeological remains will remain underwater, where specialists can continue studying and protecting them. More than 2,000 years after these ancient communities flourished, their extraordinary heritage continues to emerge from the depths of the Mediterranean. What other treasures might still be hidden beneath the waters of Alexandria? #AncientEgypt #Alexandria #UnderwaterArchaeology #Archaeology #SunkenCity #RamessesII #AncientHistory #ThisIsAncient