Historic Discoveries at Alexandria Unveiled
Alexandria, 28th October 1998 - The remarkable results of three years of underwater archaeological research work at Alexandria, Egypt which has included the discovery of a legendary city lost for over 1,600 years and the submerged island of Antirhodos where Cleopatra had a palace, are to be unveiled by French underwater explorer Franck Goddio in a new book to be published this month.
Mr. Goddio, who has headed the excavations with a team under the authority of the Supreme Council for Egyptian Antiquities, has detailed for the first time, in co-operation with a group of renowned world experts, in a 300-page document the fascinating work involved in uncovering the lost Royal Quarter of the Ptolemies in the Eastern Harbor of Alexandria. The mission was made possible by the Hilti Foundation of Liechtenstein.
The scientific document, entitled 'Alexandria - The Submerged Royal Quarters' which reveals details of these finds, has been produced in co-operation with leading experts in the various fields of research, each of whom will present his own contribution at a special launch in Alexandria on October 28th 1998.
The book includes accurate maps of the submerged Royal Quarters of the ancient city of Alexandria, which have been drawn up for the first time following systematic excavations carried out using electronically sophisticated archaeological surveys. In all, the book contains over 40 large scale maps and plans together with illustrations and topographical survey data, techniques and details of how the finds were collected, as well as an extensive analysis of the Greek and Pharaonic inscriptions and sculptures found on architectural remains on the site.
The Royal Quarter has been buried for more than 1,600 years under the sea due to a series of heavy earthquakes and flood waves followed by slow subsidience of the land. Thus were destroyed holy temples and the area adjoining the harbour was drowned. The ruins became covered in sediment and disappeared until Franck Goddio's team rediscovered them in 1996.
During continued excavations in 1998, Mr. Goddio's underwater archaeology team, which focused on the Antirhodos Island and its royal port, have discovered a shipwreck 30 metres long, which has been very well preserved. Radio carbon dating on samples of wood indicates that the age of the wreck is between 90 BC and 130 AD. The bottom of the hull lies close to a submerged antique pier and the wreckage was found in the private harbor of the island.
Artifacts including rigging, ceramics, remains of food, glass shards and jewellery were found inside the wreckage and its good state of preservation will enable a detailed naval architectural study to be carried out.
The wreck is an important find for the explorers, not least because of its state of preservation but also because of its location in the private harbor. Evidence from a hole in the ship's hull suggests that it could have sunk after being rammed by another boat.
The 1998 mission includes several excavations in the small harbor, which revealed ceramics dating from the 3rd century BC to the 4th century AD. A heavy concentration of remains was found in front of the platform where the island's palace used to be, where thick sedimentation at 4.5 metres under the bottom of the sea hid artifacts dating from the 1st century AD. Deeper archaeological excavations in this specific place will continue in 1999.
