A Sunken City's Treasures Are Pulled From The Depths After 2,000 Years

By Roisín Savage and Hannah Peart

Archaeologists and divers retrieved a trove of ancient treasures Thursday from a 2,000-year-old sunken metropolis disconnected nan seashore of Alexandria, Egypt.

Cranes cautiously lifted these ancient artifacts from nan shallow seawater of Abu Qir bay passim nan day, successful beforehand of gathered reporters.

The artifacts included a headless statue, a sphinx, and a leader figure. The tract whitethorn person been an hold of nan ancient metropolis of Canopus, according to nan Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities.

“There’s a batch underwater, but what we’re capable to bring up is limited, it’s only circumstantial worldly according to strict criteria,” said Sherif Fathi, Egypt’s Tourism and Antiquities Minister, speaking to nan media connected Thursday.

In 2001, Egypt signed UN taste assemblage UNESCO’s Convention connected Underwater Cultural Heritage, limiting nan retrieval of submerged artifacts.

“The remainder will stay portion of our sunken heritage,” he said speaking to nan media.

“The artifacts that you spot day backmost to successive periods, starting from nan Ptolemaic era,” said Mohamed Ismail, Secretary-General of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities. The Ptolemaic era lasted for astir 300 years and was followed by Roman rule, which lasted for astir 600 years.

Restoration activity is underway connected nan recently uncovered artifacts, which are group to beryllium featured successful nan Secrets of nan Sunken City exhibition astatine nan Alexandria National Museum.

The exhibition, which opened Wednesday, presently showcases 86 uncommon artifacts that connection a glimpse into life during nan Ptolemaic and Roman periods.