Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities recovered underwater ruins from a sunken city off the coast of Alexandria on August 21. Divers and cranes retrieved ancient statues, including royal figures and sphinxes from the pre-Roman era, such as a partially preserved sphinx with the cartouche of Ramses II. The site in Abu Qir bay also revealed limestone buildings, residential and commercial structures, a 125-meter dock over 2,000 years old, a merchant ship, stone anchors, and a harbor crane from the Ptolemaic and Roman eras. Tourism and Antiquities Minister Sherif Fathy noted that only specific material meeting strict criteria is brought up, with the rest remaining underwater heritage.
The discovery matters because it sheds light on the ancient city of Canopus, a prominent center during the Ptolemaic dynasty and Roman empire, which was submerged by earthquakes and rising sea levels. The findings expand archaeological knowledge of Egypt's sunken heritage and highlight the ongoing efforts to preserve and study artifacts threatened by environmental changes. The recovery also underscores the importance of underwater archaeology in understanding ancient civilizations and their urban development.