Mideast in Pictures: Egypt recovers sunken archaeological finds from Mediterranean Sea
Source: Xinhua
Editor: huaxia
2025-08-22 19:56:15
An artifact is recovered from the Mediterranean Sea at Abu Qir Bay in Alexandria, Egypt, on Aug. 21, 2025. (Xinhua/Sui Xiankai)
CAIRO, Aug. 22 (Xinhua) -- The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities on Thursday successfully retrieved three massive artifacts from the Mediterranean Sea off Abu Qir Bay in Alexandria governorate.
The ministry's divers managed to take out three pieces: a colossal quartzite statue of a sphinx bearing the cartouche of King Ramesses II (1279-1213 BC), a broken-necked and broken-kneed granite statue of an unknown person from the late Ptolemaic era (332-30 BC), and a white marble statue of a Roman nobleman.
Mohamed Ismail Khaled, secretary-general of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA), said this operation marks the first of its kind in 25 years.
Divers celebrate after recovering an artifact from the Mediterranean Sea at Abu Qir Bay in Alexandria, Egypt, on Aug. 21, 2025. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)People take photos of an artifact recovered from the Mediterranean Sea at Abu Qir Bay in Alexandria, Egypt, on Aug. 21, 2025. (Xinhua/Sui Xiankai)Artifacts are recovered from the Mediterranean Sea at Abu Qir Bay in Alexandria, Egypt, on Aug. 21, 2025. (Xinhua/Sui Xiankai)People pose for photos with artifacts recovered from the Mediterranean Sea at Abu Qir Bay in Alexandria, Egypt, on Aug. 21, 2025. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)An artifact is recovered from the Mediterranean Sea at Abu Qir Bay in Alexandria, Egypt, on Aug. 21, 2025. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)An artifact is recovered from the Mediterranean Sea at Abu Qir Bay in Alexandria, Egypt, on Aug. 21, 2025. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)An artifact is recovered from the Mediterranean Sea at Abu Qir Bay in Alexandria, Egypt, on Aug. 21, 2025. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)■
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