Image Credentials: Image Title: Submerged Ancient Harbor Discovered, Potentially Unlocking the Final Secret of Cleopatra and Mark Antony Source: (Sora.ChatGpt) Date: September 2025. Attribution: Created using AI-generated imagery (Sora.ChatGpt), this does not depict a real-world scene.
By Emma Cole | Staff Writer with Agencies
CAIRO – A groundbreaking archaeological mission has announced the discovery of a significant submerged ancient harbor at the Temple of Taposiris Magna, west of Alexandria, a find that dramatically strengthens the long-held theory that the lost tomb of Cleopatra VII and Mark Antony may lie nearby.
The discovery was made by a team led by Dr. Kathleen Martínez from the Universidad Nacional Pedro Henríquez Ureña, in a high-profile collaboration with renowned ocean explorer Robert Ballard, famous for locating the wreck of the RMS Titanic. The find was announced via an official Facebook post from Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.
Located approximately 10 meters deep in the Mediterranean, the harbor was part of the Egyptian coastline over two millennia ago during the Ptolemaic period. Crucially, the site is directly connected to the temple dedicated to Osiris, the god of the underworld. This direct link is a pivotal piece of evidence for Dr. Martínez, who has spent nearly two decades championing the theory that Cleopatra and her Roman lover, Mark Antony, were interred in a grand mausoleum in this area before it was lost to centuries of earthquakes and rising seas.
National Geographic explorers make a big discovery in the search for Cleopatra's tomb https://t.co/m7czsyxybp pic.twitter.com/h6nPnQLSO7
— Eyewitness News (@ABC7NY) September 20, 2025
“If this hypothesis is correct, we may be on the verge of solving one of archaeology’s greatest and most enduring secrets,” the announcement suggests.
The underwater excavations have revealed a wealth of artifacts that testify to the harbor’s former importance, including columns, polished stone floors, amphorae (tall jars used for transport), and stone and metal anchors. These findings point to intense maritime commercial activity. Further adding to the site’s significance, ground-penetrating studies have indicated the existence of a vast 1.3-kilometer-long underground tunnel linking the temple complex directly to the sea, underscoring the area’s strategic and religious importance.
Egyptian authorities have highlighted that the discovery not only deepens the understanding of the ancient Egyptian economy and religious practices but also confirms Egypt’s historical role as a vital hub of global communication and trade in the Mediterranean.
The ongoing investigation, which blends terrestrial archaeology with underwater exploration, will be featured in the upcoming National Geographic documentary, Cleopatra’s Final Secret, scheduled to premiere on September 25th. The documentary will follow Dr. Martínez’s relentless quest and this latest discovery, which brings the world one step closer to potentially finding the final resting place of history’s most famous queen.
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