In the depths of the Mediterranean, divers reveal a lost Egyptian city with a colossal granite statue, a sphinx of Ramses II, and ruins preserved under the mud.

Submerged find in the Mediterranean rekindles interest in Canopus, an Egyptian city linked to temples, ancient routes, and preserved ruins in Abu Qir Bay, near Alexandria, in an area studied by underwater archaeologists.

Divers and underwater archaeologists have recovered a set of artifacts associated with the ruins of the ancient city of Canopus in Abu Qir Bay, near Alexandria, Egypt.

Among the pieces recovered from the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea are a granite statue of an as-yet-unidentified figure, attributed to the end of the Ptolemaic period, a quartzite sphinx with a cartouche of Ramses II, and a marble sculpture linked to a Roman nobleman.

The operation took place on August 21, 2025, according to information released by Egyptian authorities.

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Artifacts found on the Mediterranean seabed

The centerpiece of the operation was a granite statue of an as-yet-unidentified person.

According to the information released about the excavation, the sculpture was damaged in the neck and knee areas and was dated to the end of the Ptolemaic era, a period that extended from 332 BC to 30 BC.

The hoisting required the involvement of divers, archaeologists, and specialized equipment for removing heavy objects from the seabed.

This type of operation usually follows stages of mapping, stabilization, and controlled removal, to reduce the risk of further damage to archaeological pieces.

Also recovered were a quartzite sphinx with the cartouche of Pharaoh Ramses II, who ruled between 1279 BC and 1213 BC, and a white marble sculpture associated with a Roman nobleman.

Egyptian authorities also mentioned coins, ceramics, fragments of limestone constructions, reservoirs, and structures linked to port activities.

Although the title refers to an “Egyptian goddess,” the identification of the granite statue has not been securely confirmed in the consulted information.

In official reports and international agencies, the piece is described as an unknown figure, along with other objects associated with pharaohs, sphinxes, and characters from the Roman period.

Canopus and the submerged Egyptian city

Canopus was located in the Nile Delta region, near the current coastline of Alexandria.

Over the centuries, parts of the city and neighboring areas were claimed by the Mediterranean due to natural processes such as earthquakes, subsidence, soil liquefaction, and rising sea levels, according to researchers studying the region.

Abu Qir Bay is considered by the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities to be a significant area for underwater archaeology.

The site contains remains of Canopus, Thonis-Heracleion, and shipwrecks from different historical periods, including vessels linked to Napoleon’s fleet defeated in the Battle of the Nile in 1798.

The submersion of these cities is not described by experts as a single event.

Studies of the region indicate a gradual transformation of the coastal landscape, caused by a combination of geological instability, changes in terrain, and shifts in sea level.

As a result, ancient urban spaces, temples, and port areas became submerged archaeological sites.

Temples, trade, and pilgrimage in ancient Egypt

Before disappearing beneath the waters, Canopus was known for its sanctuaries linked to Osiris and Serapis.

During the last pharaonic dynasties and the Ptolemaic period, the city received pilgrims who participated in religious rituals and practices associated with healing, according to archaeological studies of the site.

The region was also part of a Mediterranean landscape marked by the circulation of people, goods, and cultural references.

After Alexander’s conquest, Egypt experienced intense contact between local traditions and Greek elements, something observed by researchers in sculptures, temples, names of deities, and religious practices.

This context helps explain the presence, in the same area, of pieces associated with different periods and influences.

Sphinxes, Ptolemaic statues, Roman objects, coins, and port facilities indicate that Canopus was not only a religious center but also a point connected to trade routes and cultural networks of the ancient Mediterranean.

Archaeological rescue in Abu Qir Bay

Egyptian authorities reported that only part of the submerged objects will be removed.

Egypt’s Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Sherif Fathi, told AFP that there are many materials on the seabed, but recovery is restricted to pieces selected based on technical criteria.

The decision follows a practice adopted in contemporary underwater archaeology.

In many cases, researchers advocate for objects to remain in their original location when removal could compromise the archaeological context or represent a greater risk of degradation.

In situ preservation, as it is called, depends on monitoring and protection against looting, displacement, and environmental damage.

In Abu Qir Bay, the removal of some pieces was presented as part of a national project to enhance submerged heritage.

According to Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities, the studied area revealed signs of a Roman city with buildings, temples, cisterns, fish tanks, a port, and docks.

Sediments helped preserve submerged ruins

The conservation of submerged objects depends on factors such as depth, salinity, sediment type, water circulation, and material composition.

When sculptures and structures are covered by sand or mud, the layer of sediment can reduce direct exposure to currents, impacts, and environmental variations.

This process does not mean that the pieces remained intact.

The sculptures recovered in Abu Qir Bay showed breaks, missing parts, and structural damage.

For archaeologists, these marks are also part of interpreting the site, as they can indicate collapses, ground displacements, impacts during submersion, or alterations that occurred after the area was covered by the sea.

The underwater work seeks to interpret this set of signs.

Fragments of statues, inscriptions, docks, reservoirs, and remains of constructions allow for the reconstruction of aspects of the urban, religious, and commercial organization of a city that ceased to exist on the surface but remained partly preserved under the Mediterranean.

Research on Canopus continues in Egypt

The removal of the pieces does not conclude the studies on Canopus.

Egyptian authorities indicated that underwater excavations and analyses should continue, as the region still preserves fixed structures and movable objects beneath the waters.

Part of this material may remain at the site itself, while selected pieces can be restored and taken to museums.

For researchers, the importance of the find lies in the relationship between the objects and the context in which they were found.

The sphinx with the name of Ramses II, the granite figure attributed to the Ptolemaic period, the Roman sculpture, and the remains of port structures point to successive occupations and help understand the transformations of Canopus over the centuries.

In an area where the advance of the sea covered streets, temples, and docks, each recovered piece expands the archaeological record of the ancient city.

In the depths of the Mediterranean, divers reveal a lost Egyptian city with a colossal granite statue, a sphinx of Ramses II, and ruins preserved under the mud.

Submerged find in the Mediterranean rekindles interest in Canopus, an Egyptian city linked to temples, ancient routes, and preserved ruins in Abu Qir Bay, near Alexandria, in an area studied by underwater archaeologists.