Sunken cities: Egypt's lost worlds, Paperback

The accompanying paperback title to the Museum exhibition, <em>Sunken cities: Egypt's lost worlds</em>, 19 November 2016 ? 27 November 2016. <br> <br> <br>Beneath the waters of Abukir Bay, at the edge of the northwestern Nile Delta, lie the submerged remains of once- lost ancient Egyptian cities that sank over 1,200 years ago, but were dramatically rediscovered in the last years of the 20th century. <br> <br> Pioneering underwater excavations, begun in 1999 and still underway, are uncovering an array of ancient buildings and artefacts. Temple ruins and monumental statuary, harbour installations (and no fewer than 69 shipwrecks), exquisite jewellery and delicate ceramics are among the intriguing remains of these cities already lifted from the sea. <br> <br>Through these extraordinary finds, this book tells the story of how two iconic ancient civilizations, Egypt and Greece, interacted in the late first millennium BC, from the founding of Thonis-Heracleion, Naukratis and Canopus as trading and religious centres to the conquest of Egypt by Alexander the Great, through the ensuing centuries of Ptolemaic (Hellenistic) rule, to the suicide of Cleopatra and the ultimate dominance of Rome. <br> <br> Throughout, Greeks and Egyptians lived alongside one another in these lively cities, sharing their politics, religious beliefs, languages and customs. Greek kings adopted the regalia of the pharaoh; ordinary Greek citizens worshipped in Hellenic sanctuaries next to Egyptian temples; and their ancient gods and mythologies became ever more closely intertwined.

The accompanying paperback title to the British Museum’s exhibition, Sunken cities: Egypt’s lost worlds.

Beneath the waters of Abukir Bay at the edge of the Nile Delta lie the submerged remains of the ancient Egyptian cities Canopus and Thonis-Heracleion, which sank over 1,000 years ago but were dramatically rediscovered in the 20^th century and brought to the surface by marine archaologists in the 1990s. These pioneering underwater excavations continue today, and have yielded a wealth of ancient artefacts. Through these spectacular finds, this book tells the story of how two iconic civilisations, Egypt and Greece, interacted in the late first millennium BC.

From the foundations of Naukratis and Thonis-Heracleion, used as trading posts to the conquest of Alexander the Great, through the ensuing centuries of Ptolemaic rule to the ultimate dominance of the Roman Empire on the world stage, Greeks and Egyptians lived alondside each other in these lively cities, sharing their politics, religious ideas, languages, scripts and customs. Greek kings adopted the regalia of the pharaohs whilst their citizens worshipped in Hellenic sanctuaries next to Egyptian temples, their ancient gods and mythologies becoming ever more closely intertwined.

Sunken cities: Egypt’s lost worlds showcases a spectacular collection of artefacts, coupled with a retelling of the history by world-renowned experts in the subject, including the site’s long-term excavator, bringing the reader face-to-face with this vibrant ancient society.