Archaeologists have rediscovered the long-lost Egyptian port city of Heracleion beneath the waters of Abu Qir Bay, about 32 kilometers from Alexandria. The discovery was made in 2000 by a team from the European Institute for Underwater Archaeology, led by renowned archaeologist Franck Goddio, while searching for a sunken warship of Napoleon. Instead, they uncovered the remains of Heracleion, buried under sand for 1,200 years. The find included a fragment of a six-ton statue of the god Hapi, which first signaled the presence of the ancient city.

Over the next 13 years, the team excavated numerous artifacts from the site, including temple ruins dedicated to Egyptian gods Amun and Khonsu, more than 64 shipwrecks, 700 anchors, gold coins, copper weights, and golden vessels. They also recovered a statue of Cleopatra III modeled after the goddess Isis, as well as stone inscriptions in Greek and Egyptian and animal mummies offered to Amun. Despite centuries underwater, many relics remained remarkably intact.

Heracleion, also known by its Egyptian name Thonis, was once a major Mediterranean port before an earthquake caused it to sink into the sea.