Thônis-Héracléion, the legendary sunken city of Aboukir

Thonis Heracleion the legendary sunken city of Aboukir

off Egypt, Thonis-Heracleion was a legendary city that was said to have been submerged in the 2nd century AD after a tidal wave and an earthquake. It took until the 1990s for archaeologists to delve into the depths of Aboukir Bay and bring this ancient Egyptian city out of oblivion. Underwater surveys have uncovered among the remains three colossal statues as well as a stele weighing sixteen tons and eighteen square meters bearing the edict of Pharaoh Ptolemy VIII.
© GERIGK EL DAKHAKHNY /SIPA

lnte1