Photograph by Franck Goddio / Hilti Foundation / Christoph Gerigk
1,200 years ago the ancient Egyptian city of Heracleion disappeared beneath the Mediterranean. Founded around 8th century BC, well before the foundation of Alexandria in 331 BC, it is believed Heracleion served as the obligatory port of entry to Egypt for all ships coming from the Greek world.
Prior to its discovery in 2000 by archaeologist Franck Goddio and the IEASM (European Institute for Underwater Archaeology), no trace of Thonis-Heracleion had been found (the city was known to the Greeks as Thonis). Its name was almost razed from the memory of mankind, only preserved in ancient classic texts and rare inscriptions found on land by archaeologists.
Photograph by Franck Goddio / Hilti Foundation / Christoph Gerigk
Photograph by Franck Goddio / Hilti Foundation / Christoph Gerigk
The Discovery
With his unique survey-based approach utilising sophisticated technical equipment, Franck Goddio and his team from the IEASM were able to locate, map and excavate parts of the city of Thonis-Heracleion, which lies 6.5 kilometres off today’s coastline about 150 feet underwater. The city is located within an overall research area of 11 by 15 kilometres in the western part of Aboukir Bay. [Source]
Findings to date include:
- The remains of more than 64 ships buried in the thick clay and sand that covers the sea bed
- Gold coins and weights made from bronze and stone
- Giant 16-ft statues along with hundreds of smaller statues of minor gods
- Slabs of stone inscribed in both ancient Greek and ancient Egyptian
- Dozens of small limestone sarcophagi believed to have once contained mummified animals
- Over 700 ancient anchors for ships
- The remains of more than 64 ships buried in the thick clay and sand that covers the sea bed
- Gold coins and weights made from bronze and stone
- Giant 16-ft statues along with hundreds of smaller statues of minor gods
- Slabs of stone inscribed in both ancient Greek and ancient Egyptian
- Dozens of small limestone sarcophagi believed to have once contained mummified animals
- Over 700 ancient anchors for ships
[Source]
Photograph by Franck Goddio / Hilti Foundation / Christoph Gerigk
Photograph by Franck Goddio / Hilti Foundation / Christoph Gerigk
Photograph by Franck Goddio / Hilti Foundation / Christoph Gerigk
What Caused the Submergence?
Research suggests that the site was affected by geological and cataclysmic phenomena. The slow movement of subsidence of the soil affected this part of the south-eastern basin of the Mediterranean. The rise in sea level also contributed significantly to the submergence of the land. The IEASM made geological observations that brought these phenomena to light by discovering seismic effects in the underlying geology. [Source]
Analysis of the site also suggests liquefaction of the soil. These localized phenomena can be triggered by the action of great pressure on soil with a high clay and water content. The pressure from large buildings, combined with an overload of weight due to an unusually high flood or a tidal wave, can dramatically compress the soil and force the expulsion of water contained within the structure of the clay. The clay quickly loses volume, which creates sudden subsidence. An earthquake can also cause such a phenomenon. These factors, whether occurring together or independently, may have caused significant destruction and explain the submergence of Thonis-Heracleion. [Source]
Photograph by Franck Goddio / Hilti Foundation / Christoph Gerigk
Photograph by Franck Goddio / Hilti Foundation / Christoph Gerigk
Franck Goddio
Maritime Archaeologist
Franck Goddio is a pioneer of modern maritime archaeology. After graduating from the École Nationale de la Statistique et de l’Administration Economique in Paris, Franck Goddio conducted economic and financial counselling missions in Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia for the United Nations, and later for the French Foreign Ministry.
In the early 1980’s he decided to dedicate himself entirely to his passion – underwater archaeology – and founded theInstitut Européen d’Archéologie Sous-Marine (IEASM), of which he is currently president. Goddio has initiated and directed a number of excavations on shipwrecks including seven junks from the 11th-16th century, two Spanish galleons and two trading vessels of the British East India Company.
Goddio’s most ambitious project is conducted off the coast of Egypt, in Alexandria’s ancient eastern harbour and in the Bay of Aboukir (30km east of Alexandria). In partnership with the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities a vast area the size of Paris has been mapped and investigated since 1992. In 2000, the ancient city of Heracleion and parts of the city of Canopus were discovered. The research is ongoing to this date.
Excavation projects directed by Goddio have a strictly non-commercial purpose and his work is always carried out in cooperation with the national authorities in whose territorial waters the exploration is taking place. The excavation work is founded on legal provisions that regulate underwater excavations and on international archaeological standards (UNESCO Convention on the Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage). [Source]
Originally posted on: Twisted Sifter
If it's 8th Century BCE....it's older than 1200 years! :/
ReplyDeleteExactly.
Delete800 AD ? Egypt ? It a joke ?
You are right Steve, 8th century BC is, in simple English, 800BC which is older than 331BC and definitely more than 1200 years ago!
Deleteits implied that the city was founded eight centuries before we began recording time and sank 1200 years ago, eight hundred years after jesus's death
DeleteNo. It was founded 8th Century BCE, it /disappeared/ 1200 years ago. Hopefully this revision makes more sense than the funky wording in the article.
DeleteThe ancient Egyptian city of Heracleion was founded 8th century BCE, and is believed to have served as the obligatory port of entry to Egypt for all ships coming from the Greek world. The city disappeared beneath the Mediterranean Sea 1,200 years ago.
"1,200 years ago the ancient Egyptian city of Heracleion disappeared beneath the Mediterranean. Founded around 8th century BC"
ReplyDeleteIt states in the article that they claim it was FOUNDED in 8th century BC, and existed until 1,200 years ago, at which point it disappeared.
No the article says that it had dissapeared before Alexandria was founded....just poorly written...
DeleteNot poorly written, just poorly read.
DeleteNo, its definitely poorly written.
DeleteIt does not say that it disappeared before Alexandria was founded. It says it was founded before A was founded. Geez, read before criticizing.
DeleteI agree, poorly written. The math confused me till i read it a few times.
DeleteThe title says "1,200 Year Old Egyptian City Discovered Underwater". Wrong.
DeleteSo... the age of a city is now reckoned from the date it was destroyed?
ReplyDeleteit was founded 800 BC, and disappeared about 1200 years ago, or AD 800. so it was founded 2800 years ago, lasted 1600 years, and disappeared 1200 years ago.
Deleteassuming the year is 2000 according to anon
DeleteYa'll are gettin' too technical with it.
DeleteIt's fricking old alright!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Deletewhy are the noses always messed up???
ReplyDeleteWould have thought that the fact they kinda stick out, leaves them more vulnerable to degradation caused by the environment - erosion
Deletecocaine
DeleteBecause it will show the large nostrils also thick lips clearly showing they were so called "black" but in reality, melanin rich. History as you know it is a lie, Egypt was really called Khemet (KMT), their feet in statues are always left foot first because the hearts on the left, symbolizing they live from the heart. One with nature, now a literal beast going against nature, got you to kill and eat the animals, controls the world through banking and industries starting war everywhere and covered up the truth of the originals who lived as one with the universe and nature. This beast runs the Vatican (the largest bank) and rapes little boys if you didn't hear already. Father, son, and holy ghost; gay orgie. It's MOTHER, FATHER, & CHILD. But keep living outside of nature. You'll never know your true energy, you'll never move things with your energy as I do. Peep www.YouTube.com/da13thsun
Delete^ Cocaine is more likely.
Deletetits
DeleteSome German explorer hated black people so he went there and shot off all the black noses of the great civilization's statues...still goes on today...My family blood line is Roman...in fact my ancestors learned economics, algebra, and military strategy from Africans...African Moors and Nubians were the keepers of knowledge for most of history...after the fall of Rome all the white people fell into complete darkness, without African Moors there would be no History, math or science held over in that period
DeleteHe went and shot them off with a cannon
DeleteReally you should just keep the nonsense to your own pea brains if you are thinking it - History is a part of every day life - why be so vain and naive about things... If you can not appreciate history stay away from it and your comments too
DeleteSomeone chopped/broke off the noses ...
DeleteIf it's due to erosion because the nose is protruding and pointy, the tits would have been eroded off too ...
Sharks have a nose fetish... so they have bitten off the noses underwater.
DeleteAs for the on-land examples.... I believe groups of gun lovers (Sphinx haters) set up a gun/firing ranges at the Sphinx and use the nose as the target.
I am not sure why their noses are broken off but my guess it is a smaller and more delicate part of the sculpture and may have broke off when it fell. Yes, people did destroy things during wars as that is the nature of war. As to the reply that they were all melanin rich people if you look at their art in the tombs and other buildings it appears that Egypt was mixed.
DeleteEgypt was not mixed (short of the people from other cultures who came to study there) until the empire began to crumble. over 93% of all hieroglyphics depict characters as black as ebony. It was not until the later part of the empire that light skinned characters began to appear. As for the destruction of the noses, it's because they were extremely broad and were VERY obviously depictions of the ancestors of todays "black" man, or as was so cleverly and truly stated earlier for those who do their research, "melanin rich."
Deletefirearms/cannons did not exist 1200 years ago people...these statues obviously went through some damage...whats the first thing to get hit when smacked in the face...your nose!...unless pioneers had skuba gear and underwater missiles to make sure they got every single egyptian statues nose, you need to rethink asking this question...even answering the question is stupid...you're replying to a question that wasnt asked
DeleteTHE SITE WAS FOUND DECADES AGO...ANY ONE CAN CHANGE A PICTURE OR STORY ...IF THEY HAVE TIME....HOTEP
DeleteWhen a statue falls forward, the nose is the first point to hit the ground. Broken noses are often found on ancient Greek, Roman, Chinese, and Southeast Asian statues. But archaeologists in Egypt have also found mutilated statues upright in sealed tombs, showing evidence of deliberate disfiguration with a hammer and chisel. Such mutilation reflects the function of Egyptian art. The Egyptians believed that tomb statues could be transformed into living beings through a funerary ritual called the Opening of the Mouth Ceremony. A "living" statue served as an eternal home for the deceased's soul, and smashing its nose effectively "killed" the statue and the soul of the deceased. Statues' noses were probably sometimes broken by those who wished to defeat or harm the individual represented.
DeleteErosion? I am not so sure: In one of the videos there is a closeup of the face, where the snake on the head mantle is intact, although it should have been about the same size as the nose. Chipping them off makes more sense to me.
DeleteBut, would that mean they did that with the sphinx as well? Just so a soul would not survive inside it? What monstrous entity could have been sealed inside that it needed such a container I wonder.
It strikes me as odd that so many cases are apparent, and with such precision to boot! Why erect monuments - if that is what they are, and living statues if you were going to kill them all off. I appeal to your sense for intelligence and ask whether you think that people would really have done that? Contrary to what we have been conditioned to believe, they were not stupid. There was no need to do this unless statues were walking about, harassing their women or something. Religion is not your saviour here either - people profess to it, but do not practice in full. As far as I can tell they never did. Answers like these just generalize the issue.
when a nose is missing from a statue it usually means that the statue's region of civilization fell, sometimes picked from siege men, sometimes from weathering.
ReplyDeletethe nose is off because they did not want the true race and identity of the powerful civilization being passed on. thats also why the face of the sphynx (i know i spelled that wrong) has a missing nose. if the rocks wore down over time, why isent the pyramid begining to shrink or why just the noses of the faces of gods?? THINK.
ReplyDeleteYou got it. People don't THINK and can't, theyre calcified. 13love
DeleteThe French used the sphinx for target practice and shot the nose off. And underwater the noses would have eroded first due to the fact they protrude away from the statue as a whole and are more likely to surrcum to erosion.
ReplyDeleteSo the only part to erode was the nose? Goof job. Napoleon chopped the noses off
DeleteRoman and Greek figurative sculptures also often are missing noses - it means nothing except that it's a fragile portion of the statue that is apt to break off.
DeleteThey didn't like the fact that the egyptions still worshipped the the king that is depicted by the sphinx, so they blew the nose off and told them "if your god can't protect himself how can he protect you". The French quickly won their faith with a short demonstration of power.
DeleteSince when is 8 BC older than 331 BC?
ReplyDeleteIt's not 8 BC, it's 8th century BC, which is indeed older than 331 BC.
DeleteNo it's not.
Delete8th century BC is at least 469 years older than 331 BC.
DeleteIn fact is at least 369 years older, since the 8th century covers the period between 700 and 800 BC
Delete8th century BC is 800 BC, and the years count DOWN when in BC. 331 BC came well after 800BC. AD began when BC reached 0, Christ was born, blah blah.
DeleteComments on a history thread cannot get more hilarious than this.
DeleteNice fish tank
ReplyDeletewhy are there no barnacles on most of the pcs since they have been under water fof thousand plus yrs. they do not look like they have been under water but in only one photo. They look fake.
ReplyDeleteBarnacles live in the tidal zone which means some of the time they are above water n sometimes below. These are at apx 150 ft below, so thus, no barnacles.
DeleteAND THE OTHER HEAD?
DeleteI SO want this to be true, but no baracles! ???
ReplyDeletebtw peeps..a "century" is 100 years..so 8th century is 800 years..come on, if we live in the 21st century (A.D.) then did only 21 years pass since death of Christ? You all need to think before you speak/post...lol.
ReplyDeletenoses were hardest part to sculpt and if not done exactly correctly then theres no second chance, and when this happened, which was frequently, they had to build it up with a type of cement or mortar or clay, and keep it updated.
ReplyDeleteBarnacles live in the tidal zone which means some of the time they are above water n sometimes below. These are at apx 150 ft below, so thus, no barnacles.
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine a sculpture which is 1,200 years lost but not a single moss. Can't argue with the post though but if this real, this is a big achievement. :)
ReplyDeletepart of archeology is cleaning sh^t off
DeleteThe blatant ignorance here is appalling.
ReplyDeleteseriously, these comments are fab
ReplyDelete*falls down laughing*
From the historical record we know that Egypt in ancient times was likely multicultural. From tomb paintings still preserved we also know that there were a great many different sorts of noses represented among the royal dynasties in Egypt. Even the God's noses vary from aquiline to pug to snub to roman. Objects submerged in different bodies of water show different patterns of erosion and types of adhesions. Also, for the purposes of these photographs, may it not be that the excavators/divers cleaned some of them off?
ReplyDeleteThere are no noses because they were all Greeks by this time and the Africans who later took over this area did not want the world to know that the Greeks with their European Mediterranean features had ruled in Egypt so they broke all the noses off so that centuries later they could say see the European's broke all the noses off to hide the fact that these were Africans. Remember all of the names of the Egyptian Gods that we commonly use are Greek words Isis Horus Thoth Osiris All Greek Words. There are no barnacles because they do not attach to things laying on the sea floor there was some algae and other sea plant life on some of the items. In addition Noses are drilled out to make snot holes and these make them even more likely to be broken off by later people trying to hide the Greek domination over the area.
ReplyDeleteAMUN-RA, MA'AT, ASET, AUSAR(LATER OSIRIS), ANNUBIS....NO EUROPEAN/GREEK NAMES HERE...AND THESE ARE ELDER GODS...SO THAT WOULD MEAN YOUR STORY IS BROTHERS GRIMMESQUE...OH AND THERE'S A WHOLE LIST OF OTHER GOD'S WHO DO NOT HAVE EUROPEAN NAMES....
DeleteFor centuries Europeans and other cultures have tried to erase tha African presence. From the destruction if historical texts to the destruction of our temples, statues and monuments. In an attempt to erase all the contributions that we made to civilization and to other powerful societies that followed thereafter. Just look at the bible that describes Jesus as a man with skin of bronze and hair of wool yet every photo you see of him in European cultures are white, silky hair this right here is one of the biggest contradictions there is?
DeleteCan't argue with that!
ReplyDeleteI'd love to know where some of you got your information. Just off the top of your head or the end of your noses.
ReplyDeleteNot off the end of MY nose. I'm so old, my nose has already eroded away.
DeleteSARCASM GETS YOU EVERY WHERE...LOL
DeleteI cannot believe that a wonderous discovery like this has the comments reduce to noses and math. What about the glory of this ancient civilization? What about the skills and determination of those who made the discovery?
ReplyDeleteso many snarky/funny things to say about some of these posts. so little time.
ReplyDeleteNot sure how much of this is just how people talk on the internet these days or people are this crazy.
ReplyDeleteYes Sandy reading all these comments shows that even centuries on we have not progressed much.
ReplyDeleteRegressed, in some cases...
DeleteAfter seeing this wonderous find, I was elated. To then read all the top of the head, crazily inaccurate comments, I just laughed my ass off. Thousands of years later and some people haven't evolved all that much. It was like reading the comments section of the National Enquirer of that time. :-D
ReplyDeleteWho would have thought the 'nose' could produce such an interesting read!!!
ReplyDeleteYES!
ReplyDeleteAnonymous..... your a white hater and a Nigger! Suck it. you dumb shit. ur Spreading bullshit and messing up this beautiful post about a lost city/ empire
ReplyDeleteAnd you must be some country hillbillies redneck just waiting for your unemployment check to roll in do you can go watch honey Boo Boo... In your trailer.... Watch what you say words do hurt! And the only nigger here is you! You ignorant red neck trailer park trash hillbillies!!
DeleteI'm amazed. Do you people know how to use Google to find information? Do you believe in facts or is your misinformed opinion the only 'truth'? You can't even agree on what the first sentence of the article says even though it's right above your post. And calling each other racists is sociopathic. Absolutely incredible.
ReplyDeleteYep there is no longer any racism in 'murica, nothing has anything to do with race whatsoever...
ReplyDeleteBut, we do have ignorance we have fields of ignorance we have mountains built of nothing other than pure ignorance come to 'murica and see that we have ignorance from sea to shining sea!!!
Why is racism so misunderstood? In nature there are many examples of multiple minute physical, and behavioral characteristic differences within a species. Most people would agree that a domesticated house dog is not a danger to society. And do invite them into their homes to live with them as family. A wolf, on the other hand, you don't want lying with your toddler in bed. Although genetically identical, experience has taught human kind that you can't take the "wolf" out of the wolf. So it would be fair to say, if you own a dog but wouldn't allow a wolf into your home, you're a RACIST! If you prefer lobster over crab, you are a RACIST. If you own a Jeep instead of a Kia, You are a RACIST! No matter your point of view on creation. It's those same minute differences within a species, that allow the species to adapt to a new environment. This is necessary if the species is to populate itself. In short, We are supposed to be different! And we are all competing in a limited shared amount of space, by natures design. Life is simply a competition for survival. Who doesn't want to say they belong to the best team?
DeleteFor anyone that has made it this far in the comment section...
ReplyDeleteI would like to point out that the middle statue in the last photograph STILL HAS A NOSE.
I'll just let some of you ponder that for a minute...
I Like The Way You Think!
DeleteI love how this turned into a "you're dumb" and "No you're dumber" comment thread. The ignorance that has engulfed the majority of you attempted trolls is astounding. I did not think someone could even be so slow and still function. You have restored my faith in the human ability to stay alive but have made me completely lose hope that our race will ever be the intelligent and respectful creatures we once were.
ReplyDeleteEarthquakes, liquifaction, all BS. They pissed off the titans and they in turn released the kraken.
ReplyDeleteit's sad most of the comments posted by many so much hate still in the world, this an extraordinary find that i hope to see...and as for the kraken you may be right the gifted spirits have long left us for fear of what has occurred in our past..
ReplyDeleteDwamnn...><
ReplyDeleteYou people must learn date, time and how to read. Before typing your thoughts. 1200 years ago a disaster sunk the city. It existed from 800 BC. Which is before Alexandria at 331 BC. Go back to your failing education system or maybe pick up a book.
ReplyDeleteThese things were sunken for a reason... just like man to go digging up things he doesn't understand.
ReplyDeleteDon't you think after it being submerged in the sea that long it would be cocooned in barnacles etc. it all seems to be in a modern state of condition and doesn't reflect it's age?
ReplyDeleteWell no it wouldn't really because it takes more then 1,200 years for something that size to completely become an underwater environment. Its actually well preserved because of how LITTLE time it's spent in the water.
DeleteIts 8th century "BC" guys..!!
ReplyDeleteAlmost about 2800 yers old!!
Damn..!
Great guys :) :)
By saying its 1,200 years old they are referring to the time it's been underwater and not actually how old it is. Yeah if you paid attention to what you were reading you'd know that already..
ReplyDelete