The mysteries of a submerged Egyptian city were uncovered

Before 1996, two of Egypt's greatest cities were thought to be lost forever. Then, French archaeologist Franck Goddio made a remarkable underwater discovery.

For a millennium, Thonis-Heracleion lay hidden beneath the waves. Fish swam through the ruins of grand temples; hieroglyphs became overgrown with algae. Gods and rulers seemed frozen in time, their statues slowly being swallowed by the sands. Goddio dedicated years to studying this incredible site, as well as nearby Canopus, which had been rediscovered in 1933 by a British RAF pilot who spotted the ruins extending into the sea.

A new exhibition at the British Museum will soon showcase Goddio’s astonishing discoveries to the public.

Sunken Cities: Egypt’s Lost Worlds opens on May 19, offering a fascinating glimpse into one of archaeology’s most captivating mysteries, as explained by curator Aurelia Masson-Berghoff.

"(Thonis-Heracleion and Canopus) were mentioned in Greek myths, recorded by Greek historians, and referenced in Egyptian decrees—now we know exactly where they were located."

What caused their disappearance?

Thonis-Heracleion and Canopus, likely founded in the 7th century BC, were bustling trade hubs between Egypt, Greece, and the broader Mediterranean, strategically positioned at a key crossroads. But a series of unfortunate events led to their downfall, as Masson-Berghoff explains.

"Several natural factors contributed to the cities sinking by up to 32 feet below the sea," she explains, citing rising sea levels, land subsidence, and earthquakes—each of which ultimately triggered catastrophic tidal waves.

The ancient gods of a forgotten age

Masson-Berghoff shares that much was revealed by the religious statues recovered from their submerged resting place. Most of these statues depicted Ptolemaic gods with human features, embodying traits that Egyptians traditionally associated with animals.

"The Greeks weren’t particularly fond of gods with animal forms or animal worship," she explains. "However, the Ptolemies, the Greek-Macedonian rulers of Egypt following Alexander the Great, created a human-like version of an ancient Egyptian deity, the sacred bull Osiris-Apis. In its ‘Greek’ incarnation, the god became Serapis, merging the roles and attributes of key Greek gods."

One of the statues unearthed was a massive head of Serapis, the Greek adaptation of the Egyptian god Osiris-Apis, depicted in human form.

"In the ‘Sunken Cities’ exhibit, we will display a range of sculptures showing these Greco-Macedonian rulers portrayed as Egyptian Pharaohs, donning Egyptian crowns and embodying the roles of Pharaohs," the curator states.

READ: The king with 100 wives

Their shift in style wasn’t driven by vanity, but by astute political strategy. "The Ptolemies knew they had to earn the support of the local priesthood and population to legitimize their reign," Masson-Berghoff explains. "To do so, they embraced Egyptian beliefs, rituals, and symbols."

The largest exhibit is a statue of Hapy, the god of flooding. Standing over 16 feet tall and weighing 12,000 pounds, this pink granite sculpture dates back to the 4th century BC, long before Thonis-Heracleion sank beneath the sea.

Equally remarkable are the artifacts left behind on the seabed. Goddio’s team unearthed 69 ships, a find Masson-Berghoff describes as the largest collection of boats ever discovered. One of these vessels was likely used on a Grand Canal linking Canopus and Thonis-Heracleion, carrying a sacred barge made of sycamore during the Mysteries of Osiris, a ritual honoring the god of the underworld.

Yet, this is only a small fraction of what’s still hidden.

"What you need to understand is that Franck excavated less than 5% of the site," the curator emphasizes. "A significant amount of material remains on the seabed."