Sunken Egyptian City Thonis Found After More Than a Centuries

The ancient city of Atlantis is stated to have vanished into the sea centuries back. We have yet to find that watery metropolis (whatever The Little Mermaid might inform you), however a few long-lost cities have actually been discovered– and one specifically has actually produced a rich chest of soaked treasures.

Greek texts referred to an area called Heracleion. The Egyptians had actually a city called Thonis. For centuries, Egyptologists puzzled over these 2 cities, however in 2000, French undersea archeologist Franck Goddio addressed the enigma: Thonis as well as Heracleion were two names for the same location.

In the 5th century BC, Greek chronicler Herodotus created that a great holy place was built where the hero Heracles first stepped onto Egyptian soil (for this reason the name).

Situated in Aboukir Bay and founded around the 8th century BC, the city thrived as Egypt’s primary port for all boats coming from Greece. Canals ran all through it, developing islands and also harbors. More than 700 ancient anchors have actually been located there, along with greater than 60 shipwrecks dating to between the 6th as well as second centuries BC. Because a lot of the prize recovered there dates to that period, researchers think it was the city’s prime time.

When Alexandria was established in 331 BC simply a few miles to the south as well as west, Thonis-Heracleion shed some of its maritime importance. But its temple of Amun stayed essential, and most of the artefacts recuperated in the city have routine definitions: temples, statuaries, steles, and also sacred objects.

So what happened– as well as when? Whatever located at Thonis can be dated to the late 8th century ADVERTISEMENT or earlier, so researchers believe it sank after that– along with the neighboring cities of Portus Magnus as well as Canopus– for a few reasons:

– A collection of natural disasters, consisting of earthquakes and also floodings

– Sluggish sinking of the soil, intensified by increasing water levels

– The weight of heavy rock buildings, such as holy places, which might have quickened liquefaction of the dirt.

Goddio claims we’ll be examining the website for 200 years ahead– it’s that rich.

Leave a Reply