Lost Egyptian Cities

• Ancient Egypt had bustling cities that served as centers for business, government, and learning
• Some Egyptian cities still stand, while others are ruins, and some were lost until recently

Lost Egyptian Cities

• Three great Egyptian cities, Herakleion, Canopus, and Menouthis, were lost, but ancient Greek legends told of them
• These cities likely disappeared due to a disaster
• The lost cities parallel Atlantis, an ancient city that vanished
• Scientists have searched for Atlantis for years, using old stories and travelers' accounts to estimate its location
• Most scientists now believe Atlantis was located on Santorini, a volcanic island in the Mediterranean
• Archeologists think Atlantis disappeared when Santorini's volcano erupted, leaving parts of the city underwater
• Atlantis is considered a "lost" city because it vanished

Rediscovering the Lost Cities

• Information about the missing Egyptian cities was found in ancient Greek dramas
• Archeologists followed these clues and searched Mediterranean waters, discovering the sites of all three cities, including houses, temples, and harbor structures
• The cities were known for their wealth and grand temples, attracting pilgrims from afar who spent money there
• The cities were famous for their art, including beautiful statues found in the temples
• An extraordinary life-size black granite statue of the Egyptian goddess Isis, wearing a long dress, is now in a museum

Herakleion

• Herakleion was a busy seaport and center of shipping until Alexandria was founded by Alexander the Great in 331 B.C.
• Underwater, Herakleion appears intact, as if it simply sank
• Franck Goddio, a French archeologist, led the team that discovered a complete city with temples, walls, and a harbor containing 10 ancient ships
• An intact stele was found, seemingly frozen in time
• Herakleion is now 20 to 30 feet underwater
• Goddio's team used modern technology, like magnetic waves, to map the city
• The sea has preserved the cities, allowing archeologists to study their structure and the lives of the people who lived there
• The head of Egyptian archeology, Gaballa Ali Gaballa, provided insights into the temples and pilgrimages, dating the cities to 600 or 700 B.C.
• The cause of their fate is unknown, but frequent earthquakes in the area may have caused the land to sink and the sea to engulf it
• Herakleion is now four miles from land in the Bay of Abu Qir
• Archeologists estimate that the disaster occurred in the seventh or eighth century A.D.
• These lost cities have now been found

Explore the lost Egyptian cities of Herakleion, Canopus, and Menouthis, once bustling centers of ancient life. These cities disappeared due to disasters, echoing the legend of Atlantis. Archaeological discoveries and ancient texts have helped rediscover these lost urban centers.