In a groundbreaking exhibition, the British Museum is set to unveil a remarkable collection of lost artifacts from sunken cities, often referred to as the Atlantis of Egypt. These treasures, belonging to the submerged cities of Heracleion and Canopus, have spent over a millennium beneath the waters, concealed by 10 feet of silt. The exhibition, titled “Sunken Cities: Egypt’s Lost World,” will bring together a diverse array of artifacts, from enormous statues and golden jewelry to hieroglyphic tablets, offering a captivating glimpse into the intermingling of cultures in the Nile delta cities.
Lost and Found: The Rediscovery of Heracleion and Canopus:
Reclaimed from the deeps: Diver Franck Goddio poses with an inscribed tablet he found in the ruins of Heracleion in Aboukir Bay, Egypt. The slab, which is 1.9m tall, will be one of the treasures on display at an upcoming British Museum exhibition of underwater treasures. It is inscribed with the decree of Saϊs, which levied a tax on imports from Greece
Strapped in: A diver secures a 5.4m statue of Hapy, a divine personification of the Nile floods, to be lifted out of the waters. The colossal red granite carving will one of the exhibition’s centrepieces. The six-tonne statue, which dates to the 4th Century BC is the largest known example of a Hapy statue
Heracleion and Canopus, ancient cities built on the ever-shifting grounds of the Nile delta, served as crucial gateways to Egypt before the rise of Alexandria. Despite being mentioned in ancient texts, these trading hubs were lost to time until a serendipitous discovery in 1996. Divers exploring the mouth of the Nile unearthed a treasure trove, initiating nearly two decades of painstaking efforts to salvage these submerged relics from the deep.
Preservation Through Silt:
Preserved: The thick silt which covered most of the reclaimed artefacts helped preserve them from centuries of decay. Pictured left is a diver uncovering the Hapy statue, which stands restored at its full 5.4m height to the right
Sunken tablet: Hieroglyphic inscriptions, such as the one pictured above, will feature in the museum display from next May
The artifacts, once feared lost forever, owe their preservation to the thick silt that covered them. As divers meticulously dredged the treasures from the sea, the silt shielded them from centuries of decay. Among the highlights of the collection is a 6-foot hieroglyphic tablet inscribed with a royal declaration from Pharaoh Nectanebo I and a colossal 5.4-meter statue of Hapy, an Egyptian god symbolizing the Nile’s floods. The latter, weighing six tonnes and dating back to the 4th century BC, is the largest known example of a Hapy statue.
The Exhibition: A Historic Gathering of Lost Artifacts:
Reclaimed: The intact Stele of Thonis-Heracleion, is pictured being carefully lifted out of the Nile delta. The inscription makes clear that it was to be placed on the site of Heracleion, a city thought lost to the sands of time, and helped archaeologists be sure that they had found the right place
Heavy lifting: Divers manoeuvre a pink granite ‘garden vat’ discovered among the silty ruins of Heracleion
The upcoming exhibition at the British Museum promises to be a historic event, running from May to November and showcasing around 300 artifacts. These items, sourced from the museum’s own archives and on loan from Egyptian authorities, will provide a rare opportunity for the public to witness the treasures pulled from the sunken ruins. The display will center on the cultural mingling in the Nile delta cities, particularly the interactions between ancient Egypt and Greece.
A Glimpse into Ancient Egypt-Greece Interactions:
Golden: This necklace, a so-called pectoral decorated with lapis lazuli and glass, is another loan item from the Egyptian Museum which will be brought to London. The item dates from as early as 940BC and belonged to Pharaoh Sheshonk II
On display: These two life-size statues will also be on display – left is an Osiris, dating from the seventh century BC, which is being loaned from the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. To the right is a statue of Arsinoe II, a Ptolemaic queen, depicted as the goddess Isis
The artifacts on display will delve into the rich history of the Nile delta cities, revealing the intricate connections between Egyptian and Ancient Greek cultures. Among the showcased items is a statue of Arsinoe II, a queen from the Ptolemaic dynasty founded after Alexander the Great’s conquest of Egypt. The exhibition will explore the fascinating period when Egyptians and Greeks encountered each other on the shores of the Mediterranean.
Insights from Underwater Archaeological Expeditions:
Added in: The exhibition will display items showing the mingling of Greek and Egyptian cultures. Pictured is a statue of the Egyptian bull god Apis dating the the reign of Roman emperor Hadrian. It will be loaned from the Greco-Roman Museum in Alexandria
Discovery: An Egyptian sailor watches over a Sphinx (left) dredged up from the Delta in 2001. Pictured right is an image of the god Osiris found in the dives
Franck Goddio, president of the European Institute of Underwater Archaeology and co-curator of the exhibition, expressed delight in sharing the results of years of underwater archaeological expeditions off the coast of Egypt. The collaboration with the British Museum, including the loan of significant artifacts from Egyptian museums, provides a unique opportunity to present insights into ancient worlds and civilizations.
Digging deep: A diver brushes away remains from a cow’s jaw bone found at the site of Canopus
Gift for the gods: Divers also found several model boats, pictured above, which were metal replicas of tiny papyrus vessels which Egyptians would have set sail at the temple of Amun-Gereb as an offering
Sleeping with the fishes: Huge columns lay underwater in the ruins of Canopus, which were found 2km east of the Nile delta
“Sunken Cities: Egypt’s Lost World” at the British Museum is poised to be an unprecedented exploration of Egypt’s submerged treasures, shedding light on the forgotten cities of Heracleion and Canopus. As these artifacts emerge from the depths after more than a thousand years, they offer a tangible connection to the past, revealing the vibrant cultural exchanges that occurred in the Nile delta. This exhibition not only showcases the resilience of ancient relics but also invites visitors to embark on a captivating journey through the lost world that has finally resurfaced.