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New Finds in Thonis-Heracleion

Sunken Civilizations

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Thonis-Heracleion: From Legend to Reality

Thonis-Heracleion is a city lost between legend and reality. Before the foundation of Alexandria in 331 BC, the city knew glorious times as the obligatory port of entry to Egypt for all ships coming from the Greek world. It had also a religious importance because of the temple of Amun, which played an important role in rites associated with dynasty continuity. The city was founded probably around the 8th century BC, underwent diverse natural catastrophes, and finally sunk entirely into the depths of the Mediterranean in the 8th century AD. 

Prior to its discovery in 2000 by the European Institute for Underwater Archaeology (IEASM), directed by Franck Goddio, no trace of Thonis-Heracleion had been found. Its name was almost razed from the memory of mankind, only preserved in ancient classic texts and rare inscriptions found on land by archaeologists. The Greek historian Herodotus (5th century BC) tells us of a great temple that was built where the famous hero Herakles first set foot on to Egypt. He also reports of Helen’s visit to Heracleion with her lover Paris before the Trojan War. More than four centuries after Herodotus’ visit to Egypt, the geographer Strabo observed that the city of Heracleion, which possessed the temple of Herakles, is located straight to the east of Canopus at the mouth of the Canopic branch of the River Nile.

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The Discovery

With a unique survey-based approach that utilises the most sophisticated technical equipment, Franck Goddio and his team, in cooperation with the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities, were able to locate, map and excavate parts of the city of Thonis-Heracleion, which lies 6.5 kilometres off today’s coastline. The city is located within an overall research area of 11 by 15 kilometres in the western part of Aboukir Bay at a depth of approx. 10 metres. Research started in 1996. It took years to map the entire area. First discoveries could be made in 2000.

Franck Goddio has found important information on the ancient landmarks of Thonis-Heracleion, such as the grand temple of Amun and his son Khonsou (Herakles for the Greeks), the harbours that once controlled all trade into Egypt, and the daily life of its inhabitants. He has also solved a historic enigma that has puzzled Egyptologists over the years: the archaeological material has revealed that Heracleion and Thonis were in fact one and the same city with two names; Heracleion being the name of the city for the Greeks and Thonis for the Egyptians.

What the City looked like

The objects recovered from the excavations illustrate the cities’ beauty and glory, the magnificence of their grand temples and the abundance of historic evidence: colossal statues, inscriptions and architectural elements, jewellery and coins, ritual objects and ceramics - a civilization frozen in time.

The quantity and quality of the archaeological material excavated from the site of Thonis-Heracleion show that this city had known a time of opulence and a peak in its occupation from the 6th to the 4th century BC. This is readily seen in the large quantity of coins and ceramics dated to this period. The port of Thonis-Heracleion had numerous large basins and functioned as a hub of international trade. The intense activity in the port fostered the city’s prosperity. More than seven hundred discovered ancient anchors of various forms and 79 wrecks dating from the 6th to the 2nd century BC (further 40 wrecks could be detected but still require verification) are also an eloquent testimony to the intensity of maritime activity here.

The city extended all around the temple and a network of canals in and around the city must have given it a lake dwelling appearance. On the islands and islets dwellings and secondary sanctuaries were located. Excavations here have revealed beautiful archaeological material such as bronze statuettes. On the north side of the temple to Herakles, a grand canal flowed through the city from east to west and connected the port basins with a lake to the west.

Thonis-Heracleion was also the site of the celebration of the Mysteries of Osiris. This important ceremony was performed each year in honour of the rebirth of the god Osiris. Texts and figures in the Osirian chapels in the temple of Dendera and on the stele of the royal Decree of Canopus describe the details of the celebration of this vigil and re-awakening of the god. In his ceremonial boat Osiris was brought in procession from the city's great temple of Amun-Gereb to his shrine in Canopus.

The underwater archaeological research in Thonis-Heracleion is ongoing until today. Franck Goddio estimates that only 5 percent of the city have yet been discovered.

Pictures

A red granite colossal statue of a Ptolemaic king of over 5 metres height, reassembled underwater after excavation and preliminary cleaning. It was found shattered into 5 fragments close to the main temple in the sunken city of Thonis-Heracleion.
Franck Goddio and his team watch the rise to the surface of a colossal statue of red granite (5.4 m) representing the god Hapy, symbol of abundance and fertility and god of the Nile flood which stood in front of the temple of Thonis-Heracleion. Never before has the statue of a god of this size been discovered in Egypt, which indicates Hapy’s importance for the Canopic branch.
Aerial view of the colossal triad of over 5-metre high red granite statues of a pharaoh, a queen and the god Hapy, which stood in front of the main temple of Thonis-Heracleion. They are placed on apontoon barge together with the 17 fragments of an over 5-metre high 2nd century BC red granitestele in reassembly. The archeologists on the pontoon provide a notion of the dimensions of these artefacts.
Gold plaque (11 x 5 cm) engraved with a Greek text of five and a half lines found during preliminary exploration of the southern sector of Thonis-Heracleion. It is an example of the plaques added to foundation deposits as dedications from donators, here king, Ptolemy III (246–222 BC), who commissioned the building.
An archaeologist measuring the feet and other fragments of a colossal statue after preliminary cleaning on site at Thonis-Heracleion in the Bay of Aboukir.
Franck Goddio examines the stele of Thonis-Heracleion erected on site under water in the city of Thonis-Heracleion, Abukir Bay. The intact stele (1.99 m) is inscribed with the decree of Saϊs. It was commissioned by Nectanebos I (380-362 BC). The place where the Pharaoh ordered it to be set up is clearly named: Thonis-Heracleion.
The stele of Thonis-Heracleion (1.90 m), ordered by Pharaoh Nectanebo I (380-362 BC), is almost identical to the stele of Naukratis in the Egyptian Museum of Cairo. The text of the stele mentions the site where it was erected: Thonis.
A golden phial found in Thonis-Heracleion. Phials were shallow dishes used throughout the hellenistic world for drinking and pouring libations.
Black stone Ptolemaic queen clad in the traditional gown identifying female rulers with Isis. Probablya likeness of Cleopatra III, wife of Ptolemy VIII, 2nd c. B.C.
Colossal red granite statue of a Ptolemaic queen, 4.9 m high and weighing 4 tons, found close to the great temple of sunken Thonis-Heracleion.
A colossal statue of red granite (5.4 m), representing the god Hapy, god of the Nile flood and symbol of abundance and fertility decorating the temple of Thonis-Heracleion. The bust has been strapped with webbings before being cautiously raised out of the water of Aboukir bay. Never before has a statue of this size been discovered in Egypt.
A colossal statue of red granite (5.4 m), representing the god Hapy, god of the Nile flood and symbol of abundance and fertility decorating the temple of Thonis-Heracleion. The bust has been strapped with webbings before being cautiously raised out of the water of Aboukir bay.Never before has a statue of this size been discovered in Egypt.
Black stone Ptolemaic queen clad in the traditional gown identifying female rulers with Isis. Probablya likeness of Cleopatra III, wife of Ptolemy VIII, 2nd c. B.C.
A colossal statue of red granite (5.4 m), representing the god Hapy, god of the Nile flood and symbol of abundance and fertility decorating the temple of Thonis-Heracleion. Never before has a statue of this size been discovered in Egypt.
The head of a colossal red granite statue of a pharaoh is raised to the surface. The entire statue measures over 5 metres and was found close to the great temple of sunken Thonis-Heracleion.