City of Thonis: The sunken gem of Egypt
You will agree that the Egyptian civilization is riddled with mysteries. With its Pharaohs, mummies and pyramids, Egypt never ceases to amaze you. In the 2000s, yet another amazing aspect of Egypt’s civilization was discovered. Here’s a hint: It was discovered underwater. No, we are not talking about a sunken ship, but an entire city! Thonis, an 8th century BC city of Egypt was discovered underwater! It was once Egypt’s largest port and home to numerous valuable artefacts and incredible architecture. Want to know more about this sunken gem of Egypt? Read on.
The city of Thonis at a glance
Thonis, like any other Egyptian city, was a spectacle to watch. Remains of grand temples, colossal statues, inscriptions, jewellery and ritual objects that were excavated speak volumes about the glory and beauty of this magnificent city preserved in time! Thonis used to have the largest trading port and was the country’s main port for international trade and tax collection. It was also known for its magnificent temples. A large temple of Hercules, son of Amun, stood here and was surrounded by the residential city, enveloped by a network of canals. Archaeologists have also discovered bronze statuettes and other exquisite archaeological artefacts.
How was it destroyed and rediscovered?
You may be wondering why the vibrant city of Thonis is now submerged, right? Unfortunately, natural disasters sunk the lively city of Thonis beneath the waves. A severe flood is thought to have hit Thonis at the end of the 2nd century BC. Moreover, earthquakes, tsunamis and rising sea levels further destroyed the city over time. So, where did the residents go? During the Roman era and the beginning of Arab rule, some remained in the city’s ruins.
By the end of the 8th century AD, the remains of Thonis completely submerged and were only rediscovered in the late 90s. It was Franck Goddio and his team, working with the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities, who first discovered the lost city of Thonis. It took them years to map the entire area! The investigation began in 1996, and the first discovery was made in 2000.
What remains of Thonis?
So, what did they discover? And where are these objects at the moment? The most magnificent of the artefacts recovered from the sea is an 80-foot-long warship! The flat-bottomed ship, complete with oars and a large sail, served as a military vessel for the city of Thonis. Over 700 ancient anchors of various shapes and sizes were unearthed. This discovery merely attests to the thriving international trade in the city of Thonis. The excavation also uncovered remains of a grand temple, bronze statues and hundreds of coins. For a long time, historians believed that there were two cities: Thonis and Heracieion. However, the materials excavated from Thonis revealed that Heracieion and Thonis were actually the same city with different names. The Greek name was Heracieion, and the Egyptian name was Thonis. This piece of information saved historians a great deal of time. All of the treasures are now housed in Cairo’s Grand Egyptian Museum. More items are still being added to the collection. According to the research team, only 5% of the city has been discovered!