Stunning Underwater Photos Reveal Secrets Of Legendary Lost City Of Heracleion

In ancient times, the city of Thonis-Heracleion, known in modern tiles as the lost kingdom of Cleopatra served as a gateway to Egypt. Today, this mysterious legendary city is submerged in Egypt’s Aboukir Bay, near Alexandria.

Why the city sank remains a mystery, but it was swallowed by the Mediterranean Sea and has been buried in sand and mud for more than 1,200 years.

New amazing underwater discoveries allow archeologists to piece together clues and to create an image of what life was like in the ancient city.

Known as Heracleion to the ancient Greeks and Thonis to the ancient Egyptians the city was rediscovered in 2000 by French underwater archaeologist Dr. Franck Goddio and a team from the European Institute for Underwater Acheology (IEASM) after a four-year geophysical survey.

“Prior to its discovery in 2000 by the IEASM, no trace of Thonis-Heracleion had been found.

Its name was almost razed from the memory of mankind, only preserved in ancient classic texts and rare inscriptions found on land by archaeologists.

[More...]

Philosophers stone – selected views from the boat

http://philosophers-stone.co.uk