7 March 2026 The Future is the Product of the Past

Dominican mission discovers 1,305-meter Greco-Roman ancient rock-cut tunnel in Alexandria

A Greco-Roman tunnel measuring 1,305 meters in length was discovered beneath Tapuziris Magna, an Ancient Egyptian city, by an Egyptian-Dominican archaeological mission from the University of Santo Domingo.

The tunnel was carved into the rock and is 1,305 m long, 2 meters high and 13 meters underground, according to a statement released on Thursday by the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.

The team, led by archaeologist Kathleen Martinez, found the heads of two Ptolemaic-era alabaster statues near the temple, one of which was likely a sphinx representation.

Dr. Kathleen Martins, head of the mission, explained that initial studies indicate that the architectural design of the uncovered tunnel is very similar to the Yubilinus tunnel project in Greece, but is longer, describing it as an engineering miracle.

 The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced on Nov. 3, 2022, the discovery of a stone tunnel, 13 meters beneath the land surface, two alabaster heads, and several potteries in Alexandria. Photo: Egyptian Ministry of Tourism
The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced on Nov. 3, 2022, the discovery of a stone Greco-Roman tunnel, 13 meters beneath the land surface, two alabaster heads, and several potteries in Alexandria. Photo: Egyptian Ministry of Tourism

She added by saying that several pottery pots and ceramic jars, as well as a rectangular block of limestone, were discovered beneath the mud and sand during the excavations and archaeological survey of the tunnel.



📣 Our WhatsApp channel is now LIVE! Stay up-to-date with the latest news and updates, just click here to follow us on WhatsApp and never miss a thing!!



The mission is attempting to uncover a portion of the Temple of Taposiris Magna’s foundations that have been revealed by numerous pieces of archeological evidence.

According to scientific sources, at least 23 earthquakes struck the Egyptian coast between 320 AD and 1303 AD, causing a portion of the temple of Taposiris Magna to collapse and sink beneath the waves.

North View of Taposiris Magna Osiris Temple. Photo: Wikipedia

It is worth noting that the Egyptian- Dominican mission was able to find many important artifacts inside the temple during previous excavation seasons, including coins bearing the images and names of Queen Cleopatra IIV and Alexander the Great, as well as several headless statues and statues of the goddess Isis, as well as various inscriptions and busts of various shapes and sizes.

The mission also discovered a network of tunnels stretching from King Marriott Lake to the Mediterranean, 16 burials inside rock-cut tombs commonly used in the Greek and Roman periods, and several mummies highlighting the features of the mummification process during the Greek and Roman periods.

Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities

Related Articles

Analysis of Ancient Scythian Leather Samples Shows Ancient Scythians Made Leather from Human Skin

20 December 2023

20 December 2023

The ancient Scythians’ history as fearsome warriors dates back more than 2,000 years, and now research from a multi-institutional team...

Polish archaeologists discovered new petroglyphs dating back to the 3rd century in Colorado

14 December 2023

14 December 2023

Archaeologists from the Jagiellonian University, southern Poland, have made a significant discovery of ancient indigenous paintings and carvings in the...

Ancient Qin Dynasty Inscription Found on Qinghai-Xizang Plateau Links the Kunlun Legend to Real History

5 January 2026

5 January 2026

An ancient Qin Dynasty inscription discovered on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau links the Kunlun legend to real geography, reshaping the western...

Export barred on roundel manuscript gifted to Queen Elizabeth I by Archbishop

12 September 2022

12 September 2022

A rare presentation manuscript that Archbishop of Canterbury Matthew Parker gave to Queen Elizabeth I in 1573 has been sold...

Excavations at the site in the coastal city of SĂŁo LuĂ­s, Brazil uncovered thousands of artifacts left by ancient peoples up to 9,000 years ago

4 February 2024

4 February 2024

Archaeologists unearthed 43 human skeletons and more than 100,000 artifacts at an excavation site in the coastal city of SĂŁo...

Silk Road archaeological discoveries draw attention despite the pandemic

20 June 2021

20 June 2021

A report prepared by more than 30 global experts believes that despite the COVID-19 pandemic, archaeological discoveries related to the...

148 Ancient Tombs Spanning 2,100 Years Unearthed in the Construction Area of the Zoo

18 August 2024

18 August 2024

An ancient burial site with 148 tombs,  spanning over 2,100 years, has been discovered on the construction site of the...

New Neolithic structure unearthed at Tas-Silġ in Malta

8 October 2021

8 October 2021

Archaeologists excavating at Tas-Silġ in Marsaxlokk have discovered the remains of another Neolithic structure, Heritage Malta said. The discovery substantially...

Not From Denmark After All: Legendary Hjortspring Boat Linked to Baltic Raiders

11 December 2025

11 December 2025

One of Northern Europe’s most enigmatic archaeological finds—the 2,400-year-old Hjortspring Boat—may finally be giving up its secrets. New scientific analyses,...

Vampires Were Born Here: The Forgotten Serbian Village Behind the World’s Oldest Vampire Legend

18 July 2025

18 July 2025

Picture a quiet Balkan village at dusk: the sun dips behind dense forests, mist curls around forgotten gravestones, and the...

Olmec reliefs show Ancient Olmec Leaders In Trance-Like State Roaring Like Jaguars

14 August 2022

14 August 2022

Archaeologists in Mexico have discovered two carved reliefs from the late Olmec period (900-400 B.C.) in Villahermosa, Tabasco, southeastern Mexico...

A woman in the Czech Republic found a medieval jackpot during a walk

29 May 2024

29 May 2024

A woman walking in the town of Kutná Hora in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic found a...

How Sumerians in Mesopotamia Perfected Asphalt-Like Materials 4,000 Years Ago

19 February 2026

19 February 2026

More than 4,000 years ago, long before highways and petroleum refineries, Sumerian craftspeople in southern Mesopotamia were perfecting material formulas...

A Mysterious Chapel Discovered in Istanbul Bagcılar

3 August 2023

3 August 2023

While Istanbul continues to surprise with the richness of its historical heritage, this time a chapel was discovered in Bağcılar....

1400-year-old gold foil figures found in pagan temple

19 September 2023

19 September 2023

Archaeologists have discovered a votive gold hoard during road development works in Vingrom, south of Lillehammer on the shores of...