Ancient pots and pans
An underwater archaeology expedition at Abu Qir bay yields yet another treasure trove. Nevine El-Aref examines the newly emerged collection
The ancient city of Heracleion, submerged beneath Abu Qir Bay, was the site of a major archeological discovery last week. During excavations of the northern side of the city's Hercules temple -- six kilometres off the Abu Qir coast, and nine metres below sea level -- French and Egyptian underwater archaeologists came across thousands of artefacts.
Most of the objects date back from the sixth to the second centuries BC. A large number of bronze pots, chandeliers, plates, perfume containers, mirrors, spoons, incense burners, glasses, cones and tweezers were found. Amongst the objects that generated interest were Ptolemaic life size statues, busts and heads of Ancient Egyptian deities such as Isis, Anubis and Bastet, as well as a beautifully carved diorite statue of a tall bearded person who may be the god of the Nile.
Archaeologists said the find would help explain elements of religious life in the temple, as well as provide clues to the topographical features and layout of the sunken city as a whole. While the underwater excavations west of Alexandria have been ongoing for years, last week's find revealed that Heracleion was not only the most prominent religious centre of its time, but a very active trading port as early as the sixth century BC.
Interest in offshore archaeology at Abu Qir Bay was generated four years ago when a Franco-Egyptian team led by archaeologist Frank Goddio, president of the European Institute for Underwater Archaeology, was searching for Napoleon's sunken fleet. They found the flagship L'Orient, along with two other ships, La Serieuse and L'Artemise, and while recovering diverse treasures from these wrecks (including navigational instruments, swords, crockery, uniform buttons and buckles), they found traces of what could be a temple and a port of a sunken city. When a magnificent, headless black granite statue of Isis, along with well-preserved houses, temples, walls, and a harbour with statues also came to light, it became clear that this had been an affluent community.
By 2001, a temple dedicated to Amun and Heracles-Khonsu had been identified, and the oft-told legends of an ancient sunken city in the Mediterranean confirmed. Heracleion, one of three Greek cities east of Alexandria, had been found.
According to Culture Minister Farouk Hosni, one of the treasures revealed last week is six lines of golden royal correspondence written in a way that reflects the superior standard of living that must have been enjoyed by the city's residents.
Zahi Hawass, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA), said, "this large collection indicates that a huge factory for bronze instruments may be revealed during further excavation work."
A geological survey of the sunken city was done in parallel to the excavation work.
Lower Egypt Antiquities Head Mohamed Abdel-Maqsoud said all the objects that had been discovered are currently being examined to remove the seaweed and salt attached to their surfaces.
