The old Egyptian city of Heracleion was at one time a legend, something known to present day man just by myth. So when its vestiges were found by French submerged paleologist Franck Goddio in 2000, nobody was hoping to discover it.
In any case, in spite of all chances, they discovered the weather beaten however heavenly submerged city and, with it, a look into its sublime past.
Heracleion, also known as Thonis, was once believed to be a myth. The city got lost between mythology and reality.
It had unbelievable beginnings, supposed that Helen and Paris of Troy had been stranded there before the Trojan War started. It was even said that Hercules himself had gone to the city, giving it its unmistakable name.
Ancient historians Herodotus, Diodorus, and Strabo also talk about the legendary city in some of their writings.
Before its discovery in 2000, no hint of the city had been found. Until at that point, researchers weren’t even certain that Heracleion and Thonis were the same city.
With recent discoveries, the experts have some insight now in this lost city’s history.
With beginnings that go back to the twelfth century BC, the in the past flourishing city delighted in a time of phenomenal riches. It filled in as a required port of passage into Egypt for all boats originating from the Greek world. It additionally held religious significance, likely due to its temple of Amun.
It vanished more than 1,200 years ago, apparently because of significant seismic tremors and surges, just to be covered under the sand and mud for over a thousand years.
Heracleion has a general research zone of 11 by 15 kilometers and is situated close Alexandria, Egypt in Abu Qir Bay. The 13-year exhuming uncovered a few items, including…
- Over 60 ships that were buried in the thick clay sand of the sea bed
- Gold coins and weights made from bronze and stone
- Large 16-foot statues and hundreds of smaller statues of minor gods
- Slabs of stone inscribed in ancient Greek and ancient Egyptian
- Several small limestone sarcophagi that are believed to have once contained mummified animals
- Anchors for over 700 ships