Archaeologists have uncovered intact fruit baskets dating back over 2,200 years in the submerged city of Thonis-Heracleion, off the coast of Alexandria, Egypt. The discovery was made by underwater archaeologist Franck Goddio, who has been exploring the lost city since its rediscovery in 2000.
The ancient city, once a key Mediterranean trade hub before sinking in the second century BC due to earthquakes and tidal waves, has yielded remarkable artifacts preserved in the seabed’s clay. Among the latest finds are baskets still containing doum fruit—sacred to ancient Egyptians—and grape seeds. Experts believe the baskets may have been used in funeral rites, as they were found in an underground room alongside funerary pottery.
Other discoveries include a Egyptian wooden ship buried under fallen temple blocks, bronze treasures, and Attic-period ceramics. The site also shows evidence of ritual burning, hinting at a mysterious ceremony that left the area untouched for centuries.
Goddio described the find as “incredible,” emphasizing the unprecedented preservation of organic material underwater. The discovery provides new insights into the life and customs of Heracleion’s inhabitants before the city vanished beneath the sea.