Archaeologists have identified what appears to be a sunken ancient port off Egypt’s northern Mediterranean coast, a discovery that may offer crucial clues in the long-running search for Cleopatra’s lost tomb and shed light on Ptolemaic maritime infrastructure.
The discovery was made near the ruins of Taposiris Magna, roughly 48 km west of Alexandria, by a team including Kathleen Martínez and Bob Ballard. The site revealed towering columns, polished stone flooring, cemented blocks, ship anchors, and amphorae, all dated to Cleopatra’s era.
This underwater find aligns with a previously discovered underground tunnel, about 1,300 meters long, that links Taposiris Magna’s temple complex to the sea. Martínez has long proposed that Cleopatra—and possibly Mark Antony—were secretly transported through that tunnel from the sea into the temple precinct before burial.
However, the hypothesis remains controversial in Egyptological circles. Many scholars hold that Cleopatra’s final resting place remains in Alexandria or in submerged royal cemeteries there. The lack of textual evidence and peer-reviewed excavation reports leaves the matter unresolved.
The discovery was formally announced by Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities on 18 September 2025 and will be featured in the National Geographic documentary “Cleopatra’s Final Secret”, premiering later this month.
Whether or not this port holds the key to Cleopatra’s burial, the find significantly enriches our understanding of ancient Egyptian maritime operations and port infrastructure during the Ptolemaic period.
