Archaeologists have recently come across a secret tunnel, also called “the geometric miracle“. It is located in the Egyptian city of Taposiris Magna, reports The Jerusalem Post.
The tunnel was discovered 13 meters underground. photo: Pixabay (Archive)
The city was founded by King Ptolemy II Philadelphus between 280 and 270 BC, and its name translates as “The great tomb of Osiris” (the god of death).
The tunnel was discovered 13 meters underground by Katharine Martinez, an archaeologist from the Dominican Republic. It measures two meters in height and 1,300 meters in length. It is not clear what the role of this tunnel was, as parts of it are flooded.
Martinez, who has been researching the area since 2004, believes that this tunnel could be a way to discover the “lost tomb of Cleopatra”.
According to the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, its structure bears a striking resemblance to the stunning 1,036-meter Eupalinos Tunnel, dating from the 6th century BC, discovered on the Greek island of Samos. This tunnel is often called an engineering marvel and was unique in its planning and construction.
“The most important discovery of the 21st century”
Teposiris Magna was built around 280 BC. by Ptolemy II, son of Ptolemy I, who was one of Alexander the Great's generals and Cleopatra's ancestor. The team of archaeologists believe that the temple was dedicated to the god Osiris, his sister and wife, the goddess Isis – the goddess of healing, magic and nature with whom Cleopatra tried to identify herself. Sculptures of Isis and coins depicting the names and faces of Cleopatra and Alexander the Great were found at the site.
The tunnel has already revealed some treasures: a rectangular block of limestone and fragments of pottery. Archaeologists working at the site believe that further excavations may yield additional information about the possibility that the new tunnel may lead to the lost tombs.
The next stages include exploring the nearby Mediterranean Sea. Between 320 and 1303 AD, a series of earthquakes hit the coast, causing parts of the temple to collapse and disappear, being swallowed by the waves.
Previous excavations revealed the existence of tunnels that stretched from Lake Mariout to the Mediterranean Sea. In 2009, the then Minister of Antiquities, Zahi Hawass, stated: “If we discovered the tomb of Cleopatra and Mark Antony, it would be the most important discovery of the 21st century. If we didn't discover the tomb of Cleopatra and Mark Antony, we still made significant discoveries here, inside and outside the temple.”
