Newly Found Ancient Egyptian Port May Lead to Cleopatra’s Tomb
In a groundbreaking discovery that has sent shockwaves through the archaeological community, a newly found ancient Egyptian port may hold the key to uncovering the location of Cleopatra’s tomb. National Geographic explorer Kathleen Martinez and her team have been searching for the legendary queen’s final resting place for over 20 years, and their latest findings suggest they may be on the verge of making history.
Martinez, who has a degree in archaeology but initially pursued a career as a criminal lawyer, has always had a keen eye for detail. She brought her legal training to bear on the question of Cleopatra’s tomb, treating it as she would a forensic case. "I tried to understand her personality, who were her friends, who were her enemies," Martinez explained in an interview. "She was a strategist and she always had a Plan A and a Plan B." It simply made sense to her that Cleopatra would have brought that same strategic thinking to orchestrating her death.
Martinez suggested that the queen arranged for loyal subjects to transport her body through secret tunnels to a hidden final resting place. This theory is supported by legend, which has it that an ally brought Cleopatra a basket of figs, and hidden within was the cobra that gave the Egyptian queen that fatal bite. Martinez pondered why Cleopatra would have bothered with an actual cobra when all she needed was the venom, mixed in with food or drink.
The significance of this discovery cannot be overstated. Archaeologists have long sought to locate Cleopatra’s tomb, which she shared with her lover, Mark Antony, per popular legend. Thus far, the search has been unsuccessful, although many believe she would have been buried near the royal palace in Alexandria, Egypt. Martinez believes that the newly found ancient Egyptian port may be the key to unlocking this mystery.
The Discovery of Taposiris Magna
Martinez’s 20-year journey (and counting) to prove her hypothesis—and the exciting new discovery of a submerged ancient port several miles off the Mediterranean shore that was likely once part of the temple—are chronicled in Cleopatra’s Final Secret, a new documentary film from National Geographic. Martinez and her team have been excavating Taposiris Magna, a temple located in the coastal town of Borg El Arab, about 30 miles west of Alexandria.
Among her more significant findings were the discovery in 2006 of foundation plates dedicating the temple to Isis, along with royal artifacts and many coins bearing Cleopatra’s likeness. Last year her team unearthed burial shafts with mummies, tunnels, and another trove of artifacts—including a delicately carved head Martinez believes is a likeness of Cleopatra, although this has yet to be confirmed.
The Submerged Ancient Port
Martinez concluded that perhaps part of the original temple site was now submerged underwater—and Cleopatra’s tomb might be among those submerged structures. That said, "It’s one thing to have an idea and another to make the discovery," she said. "We already have archaeological evidence that important trade and commercial activities were taking place in Taposiris Magna." But having this information doesn’t mean that we will make the discovery. When I was standing a few years ago in front of the Mediterranean Sea, I was really scared that I would not ever be able to make the discovery.
One of her team members suggested she contact someone who did have experience searching underwater: famed oceanographer Robert Ballard, best known for his 1985 discovery of the submerged wreck of the HMS Titanic. Ballard accepted Martinez’s invitation to join the project, came to Egypt to check out the site, and immediately told her he thought she was on the right track with her search.
That didn’t make the undertaking an easy one, but the Egyptian Navy also pitched in to help. Still, the clock was winding down for that excavation season. Then divers found manmade stone pockets, once used to store fishing gear, a sign that this might have been a shoreline in Cleopatra’s time. Sonar revealed ancient relics along the sea floor, including a series of colossal structures standing 20 feet high and arranged in rows, as well as several anchors and amphora.
The Next Steps
Now that Martinez and Ballard and the rest of the team have successfully mapped the area and identified five areas showing clear signs of human activity, the next step is to explore further with actual excavations. That’s a major undertaking given that the structures are buried beneath thousands of years of sediment, and that sediment must be removed to find out exactly what is underneath.
But Martinez is game and plans to start with the "Salam 5" feature, consisting of several tall rectangular stone structures. While none of this is definitive proof, "nobody can tell me that Cleopatra is not at Taposiris Magna," Martinez told National Geographic. "To say that, you have to excavate the whole area and not find her. I’m not going to stop. For me, it is a matter of time."
The Documentary
Cleopatra’s Final Secret premieres on September 25 on National Geographic and will be available for streaming the next day on Disney+ and Hulu. This documentary film chronicles Martinez’s journey and the exciting new discovery of the submerged ancient port.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, the discovery of a newly found ancient Egyptian port may lead to Cleopatra’s tomb. Kathleen Martinez and her team have been searching for the legendary queen’s final resting place for over 20 years, and their latest findings suggest they may be on the verge of making history. The submerged ancient port is a significant archaeological find that could shed new light on the mysteries of Taposiris Magna.
Martinez believes that Cleopatra’s tomb might be among those submerged structures. That said, "It’s one thing to have an idea and another to make the discovery," she said. But having this information doesn’t mean that we will make the discovery. When I was standing a few years ago in front of the Mediterranean Sea, I was really scared that I would not ever be able to make the discovery.
The clock is ticking for Martinez and her team as they continue their search for Cleopatra’s tomb. But with their latest findings, they may finally be on the verge of uncovering one of history’s greatest mysteries.