Heracleion — An Ancient Submerged City

For several millennia, has disappeared from the surface of the earth ancient Heracleion. The reason for that - a powerful earthquake. The discovery was a sensation in the scientific world. Heracleion - not Atlantis (Atlantis legend is much older), but their stories are very similar. 

Heracleion — An Ancient Submerged City

The main sea port at the mouth of the Nile, Heracleion was small but thriving city. Its residents through contacts with foreign merchants and sailors who frequented the town on the road to Egypt, were educated people with a broad outlook. The main temple of the city was dedicated to the god Amun.

But in the blink of an eye Heracleion disappeared. In the first century BC powerful earthquake that flattened homes, sinking ships in the harbor, killed most of the inhabitants of the city, forcing the others to flee, leaving all the valuable property.

For two millennia, the ruins of the city, hidden from prying eyes silt and ten meters of water, lay 3 kilometers from the coast of Alexandria, in the Bay of Aboukir.

But last summer, the French archaeologist Franck Godo announced that he had discovered the remains of the city, which, in his opinion, are relevant to Heracleion: black granite slab, or stele, on which is written the word "Heracleion", the remains of ten ships in the former harbor, as well as thousands of other items, including jewelry, coins, vases and personal belongings.

Although modern scholars of this city, little is known, it knew the whole ancient world. The Greek historian Diodorus wrote that Hercules, son of Zeus, was blocked during the Nile and thus saved the lives of the people who were on the banks of the river.

In gratitude, the people erected a temple in his name and was named in honor of his city. According to another Greek historian, Herodotus, Helen and her lover fled Paris to Heracleion, fleeing from the wrath of the husband of Helen, Menelaus, but they are forced to return Tonis, guardian of the gates of the Nile.

Somewhat differently tells about these events Greek historian VI. Stesichorus. He says that the Greeks have been misled by the gods about the whereabouts of Helen to using war to reduce the population of Troy. In fact, according to Stesichorus, during the Trojan War, Helen was in Heracleion.

The inscription on the basis of the stele certifies that this stove was to be erected in the "Heracleion-Tronise (Heracleion-Thonis)». This is the first clear evidence that the city is a semi-mythical discovered so far Heracleion.

Archaeologist Frank Godo found no evidence of being here Helen, but it seems a fantastic discovery. One of the first was found by the great temple of Heracleion.

Remains of thick stone walls indicate the limits of its territory. Near the ruined walls, archaeologists have found three huge statues of pink granite, which presumably were defeated during the earthquake. Two statues depict still unknown pharaoh and his wife. The third article - Hapi, the Egyptian god of the Nile flood.

Inside the temple is a monumental tomb of pink granite, covered with hieroglyphics. Its upper part is still difficult to read, however tentative translation of texts, placed on the lower part shows that this is undoubtedly the Temple of Heracleion. A number of scientists, including Manfred Claus's from Frankfurt University, believes that the ultimate deciphering the inscriptions on the tomb will give even more.

Even more impressive is the two-meter black granite stele - almost a complete copy of the stele, found in 1899 in Nokratzhe. This is the first case of duplication of stelae in Egyptology. Stela of Nokratzha, which is now in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, bears the text of the decree of Pharaoh Noktanebusa First, the founder of the 30th dynasty, who ascended the throne in November 380 BC This decree introduced a 10 percent tax on goods and Greek craftsmen in Nokratzhe and Tonis, who had directed the construction of the temple to the goddess Neith.

The text ends with the words: "And he said to his Majesty:" Let it be engraved on a stele erected in Nokratzhe, canal Anu. " Stele found not anything different from the first, except the last sentence, which reads: "And he said to his Majesty:" Let it be engraved on a stele, installed at the entrance to the Greek sea in Heracleion-Tonis ".

Group Godo also found the place where the harbor of Heracleion, which now houses the wreckage of at least 10 ships, piled in a heap. This suggests that they were killed by the tidal wave that followed the earthquake.

Wherever the researchers examined the underwater city, they found a variety of items. They all date from the period from the first century BC previously. Most of them - in good condition, despite being under water for two thousand years.

Among the findings - gold earrings, bracelets, pins, rings, combs, beautiful Greek cup, glazed, kuritelnitsa for aromatics, hundreds of coins. All of them only slightly scratched the surface. And this is just the beginning - the main excavation (if this concept can be applied to archaeological work under water) - ahead.

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Source — Huffingtonpost Franckgoddio