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Archeologists in Alexandria, Egypt, recently recovered the ruins and relics of a 2,000-year-old city.
Divers plunged into the waters off the Abu Qir Bay, pulling out various artifacts and revealing building structures.
Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities Secretary-General Mohamed Ismail told Reuters the artifacts date back to successive periods starting from the Ptolemaic era.
Ismail said the Ptolemaic era “was right after the construction of Alexandria’s city, until the Roman era.”
He added, “This indicates that the region was prosperous and developing since the establishment of Alexandria in the Ptolemaic era, after Alexander the Great, and continued into the Roman era, up to more recent times.”
The Ptolemaic era lasted from 305 to 30 B.C.E., according to Smithsonian Magazine.
Officials believe the ancient docks and port they found were an extension of the city of Canopus, which was reportedly known as a party and religious town.
Divers also discovered a quartz statue of a cartouche of Ramses II. Ramses ruled Ancient Egypt from 1279 to 1213 B.C.E., according to the ministry’s press release.
A stone statue of an unknown Ptolemaic individual and a white marble statue of a Roman noble person were also unearthed.
Pottery vessels and dishes, stone anchors, water tanks, temples and coins were also discovered.
Officials say the recovery marks an important milestone in Egypt’s national plan to study, preserve and showcase its submerged heritage.
The discoveries also prove how natural events in history, such as earthquakes, can cause once-thriving ancient cities to end up in the Mediterranean Sea.
“This event carries a strong message to the whole world, that Egypt is a great country, capable of preserving its ancient heritage and enhancing its global tourism status,” said Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Sherif Fathi.
“[This] is evident in its success in attracting approximately 15.8 million tourists during the past year,” he added.
Reuters contributed reporting.
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