This article delves into the history of the ancient Egyptian city of Thonis-Heracleion, a once-thriving port that now lies submerged off the coast of Egypt. Explore its legendary past, key historical events, archaeological discoveries, and the reasons for its submersion.
Archaeologists inspecting a statue of a pharaoh during the underwater excavation of Heracleion.
Legendary Origins and Rise to Prominence
The legendary beginnings of Thonis go back to as early as the 12th century BC, and it is mentioned by ancient Greek historians. Thonis was originally built on some adjoining islands in the Nile Delta. The city was built around a central temple, and was intersected by canals with a number of harbors and anchorages. Its wharves, temples, and tower-houses were linked by ferries, bridges, and pontoons.
The city was an emporion (trading port) and by the Late Period it was the country's main port for international trade and collection of taxes. It had a sister city, Naucratis, which was another trading port lying 72 km (45 mi) farther up the Nile. Thonis had a large temple of Khonsu, son of Amun, who was known to the Greeks as Herakles. Later, the worship of Amun became more prominent.
During the time when the city especially flourished between the sixth and fourth centuries BC, a large temple of Amun-Gereb, the supreme god of the Egyptians at the time, was located in the middle of the city. King Nectanebo I made many additions to the temple in the fourth century B.C. Sanctuaries in Heracleion dedicated to Osiris and other deities were famous for miraculous healing and attracted pilgrims from a wide area.
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Archaeologists have found evidence of the celebration of the "Mysteries of Osiris" at Thonis-Heracleion, which occurred each year during the month of Khoiak.
Decline and Submersion
The importance of Thonis-Heracleion began diminishing with the rise of Alexandria, which was about fifteen miles southwest, in the 2nd century BC. During the second century BC Alexandria superseded Thonis-Heracleion as Egypt's primary port. Also in the 2nd century BC, a major weather event, either a tsunami, earthquake, or a combination, pushed the city towards destruction. Over time, the city was weakened by a combination of earthquakes, tsunamis, and rising sea levels.
Around 101 BC, probably after a severe flood, the ground on which the central island of Heracleion was built succumbed to soil liquefaction. Earthquakes can also cause liquefaction, and earth tremors and tidal waves were reported by ancient historians during the time of Thonis-Heracleion's submersion. The soil around the south-eastern basin of the Mediterranean is prone to liquefaction. The hard clay turned rapidly into a liquid and the buildings collapsed into the water. A few residents stayed on during the Roman era and the beginning of Arab rule, but by the end of the eighth century AD, what was left of Thonis had sunk beneath the sea.
Thonis-Heracleion was left relatively undisturbed beneath the sea floor for 1,200 years. The sand and other debris covered the remains of the city and made accidental discovery unlikely. This kept Thonis-Heracleion preserved.
Discovering the Sunken City of Thonis-Heracleion Lost Egyptian Civilization Revealed
Rediscovery and Excavation
Before the discovery of the second stele in 2000, most historians believed that Thonis and Heracleion were two separate cities, both located on what is now the Egyptian mainland. The stele was found at the temple of Heracleion, with an order from Nectanebo I stating that it be placed in the city of Thonis, proving that Thonis and Heracleion were actually one and the same. The ruins submerged in the sea were located and excavated by the French underwater archaeologist Franck Goddio and his team of the IEASM in collaboration with the Ministry for Antiquities of Egypt after a five-year search.
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Goddio and his team first researched the historical texts concerning the area and used that information to narrow down the possible location of the site. Then, the team used a combination of several pieces of technology, including non-intrusive cutting-edge technology like a nuclear magnetic resonance magnetometer, multi-beam bathymetry, sidescan sonar, sub-bottom profiler and satellite positioning systems in order to map the site. These are relatively new technologies that were useful in the complex process of research and excavation. After the site was mapped, the team slowly began excavations.
Several devices were used for the underwater excavations. The team used a grid reference system to document the exact positioning of the artifacts. They also created an excavation plan. The team labeled or tagged every artifact and documented its exact position. They used a water dredge to further uncover the artifacts. The team consisted of archaeologists, as well as artists and photographers to document the finds.
Map of the underwater site of Thonis-Heracleion
Maritime archaeologists have begun using 3D technologies more consistently due to the “improvement of a suite of sonar, laser, optical and other sensor-based technologies capable of capturing terrestrial, intertidal, seabed and sub-seabed sediments in 3D and in high resolution”. These technologies allow the archaeologists to scan the sites and create accurate, precise maps and images of the site. The quick destruction of the buildings and slow submersion of Thonis-Heracleion allows archaeologists to now study the underwater city with its surplus of archaeological evidence.
Significant Discoveries
Numerous finds from the site have indicated that the city's period of major activity ran from the sixth to the fourth century BC, with finds of pottery and coins appearing to stop at the end of the second century BC. One of the most important remains is the stele that was found near the temple of Amun-Gereb. Written on the black, granodiorite stele is a decree of King Nectanebo I, which raises subsidies for the temple. This stele also confirms the name of the city as Thonis since the name of the city was written into the inscription. Until this point, archaeologists and historians had thought that Thonis and Heracleion were separate cities, but this discovery solidified that the two cities were actually the same city.
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Other important remains are the boats that were sunk around Thonis-Heracleion. There are around seventy ships near the city. This is the largest deposit of ships ever discovered in the ancient world. The massive number of ships gives great resources to nautical archaeologists in terms of researching various aspects of the ships, such as the style in which they were built and the materials used in their construction.
A statue of either Cleopatra II or Cleopatra III wearing the tunic of the goddess Isis was also discovered. A large, intact statue of the god Hapi was found at the site. He is depicted holding a tray of four loaves of bread. Many gold coins, statues of deities, jewelry, ritual animal sarcophagi, and ceramic pieces were uncovered at the site; these artifacts give archaeologists a wide range of items to study. A portion of the ceramic pieces were Greek in origin; this adds to the evidence of a large Greek population living at Thonis-Heracleion.
In August 2021, IEASM announced the excavation of a rare Ptolemaic galley. The 25-metre (82 ft) long galley featured classic mortise and tenon joints, alongside more Egyptian features, such as a flat-bottomed construction favourable for navigating the Nile and the Nile delta. This ancient war ship in the sunken city was trapped under heavy materials, such as stone, that fell from the crumbling buildings during the catastrophes that caused Thonis-Heracleion's destruction. The ship was harbored near the Temple of Amun, and it was held in place on the ocean floor by the heavy building materials until its discovery. It is a Greek war ship with a sail and oars, and it was constructed using Egyptian elements, as well.
It brings new knowledge to light about the combined shipbuilding efforts of the Egyptians and the Greeks living at Thonis-Heracleion, which had a high Greek population. Also, a tumulus was discovered, covered with numerous offerings including wicker baskets containing fruits of the doum palm tree and grape seeds dating to the early 4th century BC, alongside a number of Greek ceramic some with black and red figures likely imported from Attica; a wooden sofa used for banquets was also found, alongside a gold amulet of high quality. The artifacts were probably preserved within an underground room or buried soon after being offered, despite the city's having continued to exist well after the 4th century.
The research at the site is still ongoing, and excavations are continuing every year. Goddio estimates that only 5% of the city has been excavated so far. The archaeologists are continuing to search for artifacts and remains of the city.
Artifacts Discovered
The following table summarizes some of the key artifacts discovered at Thonis-Heracleion:
| Artifact | Significance |
|---|---|
| Stele of Nectanebo I | Confirms the city's name and provides insights into royal decrees and temple subsidies. |
| Seventy Ships | Largest deposit of ancient ships ever discovered, offering valuable information on shipbuilding techniques. |
| Statue of Cleopatra II or III | Represents the influence of the Ptolemaic dynasty and the worship of Isis. |
| Statue of Hapi | Depicts the god of the Nile, symbolizing prosperity and abundance. |
| Ptolemaic Galley | Rare example of a warship with combined Greek and Egyptian shipbuilding elements. |
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