Archaeologists have recently discovered a 2,200-year-old shipwreck in the Mediterranean sea. The ship reportedly sank in the sea after being hit by falling debris of the temple of Amun, which was destroyed in an earthquake. The wreckage was found by archaeologists underneath the ancient city of Heracleion on the northern coast of Egypt. The city had fallen into deep ocean water nearly 1,200 years ago after being destroyed by earthquakes. While exploring and collecting the remnants of the ancient city, archaeologists found the wreckage of the old ship.
According to reports, the ship has been identified as a “fast galley” and was 82 feet long. The body of the vessel was built with a flat keel, a common feature found in ships for navigating the Nile river and the Delta.
In a statement posted on Facebook, the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said evidence suggests that the ship was built in Egypt.
The ship is now beneath 16 feet of clay on the seabed. Debris of the temple was also found on it. The place was covered with a large tumulus, a large pile of rocks used in ancient times to signify burials.
Pottery and a gold amulet depicting Bes, an Egyptian god associated with childbirth and fertility, were also discovered on the ship. According to legends, sometimes ancient Egyptians used the images of the god in order to protect young children and women giving birth.
Lead researcher Franck Goddio termed the recent discoveries in the ship as “extremely rare.”
The Ministry said that the discovery beautifully illustrates the presence of the Greek merchants who lived in that city. According to the Ministry, during the late Pharaonic dynasties, Greeks also lived there and built their own sanctuaries close to the huge temple of Amun. Later, all were destroyed due to earthquakes and their remnants were found now.
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