Sunken secrets resurface!
Alexandria celebrates a historic milestone with the recovery of five priceless artifacts from the Mediterranean’s ancient depths, off storied shores of Abu Qir.
An Egyptian government official from the Tourism and Antiquities ministry has confirmed that this event represents significant step forward in the submerged antiquities file.
And that the Egyptian authorities are committed to abide by the international treaties, more specifically the UNESCO convention, which provides that submerged artifacts should be preserved and not recovered unless their condition allows for it without risk of damage.
Abu Qir is one of the five most important marine archaeological sites off the coast of Alexandria, mainly because of its massive number of sunken artifacts spanning long periods.
These areas were once active trading centers, witnessing the transport and trade of goods like marble and alabaster, especially from Italy, when Alexandria served as a major market for these materials.
This region (Abu Qir) has been a battle ground of many wars which led to the sinking of a large number of ships, goods and landmarks that have now become a unique archaeological heritage.
The experts believe that the Egyptian authorities are concerned more of preserving these artifacts in their original underwater locations, rather than removing them entirely.
And that’s where, the plan to establish world’s first underwater museum for Egyptian antiquities came to light.
This underwater museum will be a pioneering and matchless experience of tourism, archaeology and the marine environment, and turn out to be a game changer for Egypt’s global standing in cultural and marine tourism.
