14 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

Royal-Memorial Inscription Attributed to King Sargon II Discovered in Western Iran

25 April 2021

25 April 2021

In western Iran, Iranian archaeologists discovered a part of a royal memorial inscription attributed to the Neo-Assyrian king Sargon II....

Limestone Structure Linked to Pharaoh Apries’ Temple Discovered in Mit Rahina, Egypt

21 February 2026

21 February 2026

A significant archaeological breakthrough has emerged from Mit Rahina, the site of ancient Memphis, where a joint Egyptian-Chinese mission has...

Megalithic structure found in Kazakhstan was probably a place of worship for miners in the Bronze Age

2 September 2024

2 September 2024

Archaeologists investigating a megalithic monument in the Burabay district of the Akmola region of Kazakhstan have revealed that the monument...

Turkey’s second ancient lighthouse found in the Bathonea

28 July 2023

28 July 2023

The excavations in the ancient Greek city of Bathonea, located in the Kßçßkçekmece Lake basin in the AvcĹlar district of...

A Previously Unknown Bronze Age Settlement Discovered in Switzerland

18 February 2024

18 February 2024

In advance of a construction project in Heimberg, the Archaeological Service of the Canton of Bern carried out a rescue...

New studies confirm that there was indeed a shipyard at Lothal, the commercial center of the Harappan civilization and world’s oldest port

6 September 2024

6 September 2024

Since the discovery of Harappan sites at Lothal, located about 30 kilometers inland from the coast of the Gulf of...

From Justinian’s Glory to Ruin: The Last Stand of Montenegro Triconch Church

10 August 2025

10 August 2025

In the heart of Bar, just off the bustling Ulica MarĹĄala Tita, lie the weathered remains of the Triconch Church...

Archaeologists Unearth Rare Artifacts from the First Turkic Khaganate in the Altai Mountains

15 September 2025

15 September 2025

Archaeologists from Altai State University and their international colleagues have made a groundbreaking discovery in Russia’s Altai Republic, unearthing artifacts...

Unique Roman Aristocratic Tomb Discovered in Sillyon Ancient City

19 August 2025

19 August 2025

Archaeologists have uncovered a unique Roman-era tomb during ongoing excavations in Sillyon Ancient City, located in TĂźrkiye’s Antalya’s Serik district....

La Tène-Era Woman’s Grave Filled with Opulent Bronze Jewelry Unearthed in the Czech Republic

3 September 2025

3 September 2025

Rescue excavations along the planned D7 highway, between the towns of KnovĂ­z and SlanĂ˝, approximately 40 kilometers northwest of Prague,...

‘Australia’s silk road’: the quarries of Mithaka Country dating back 2100 years

4 April 2022

4 April 2022

In Queensland’s remote Channel Country of red dirt and gibber rock, traditional owners and archaeologists have unearthed what researchers have...

Beehives of Saudi Arabia’s Thought to be Over 1,000 Years Old

20 July 2024

20 July 2024

Located in the majestic Sarawat Mountain range in western Saudi Arabia, the ancient beehives in the Maysan Governorate constitute a...

Archaeologists reconstructing how the Assyrian army conquered the ancient Judean city of Lachish 2700 years ago

9 November 2021

9 November 2021

Archaeologists discovered how King Sennacherib’s soldiers constructed the huge siege ramp that enabled them to defeat the Lachish city 2,700...

Scottish Archaeologists unearth ‘missing’ Aberdeenshire monastery linked to first written Gaelic

19 November 2023

19 November 2023

One of the biggest mysteries in Scottish archaeological history has been solved with the discovery of the monastery site where...

Treasure of 1,290 Ancient Roman Coins Discovered by Amateur Archaeologist in Switzerland

16 April 2022

16 April 2022

An amateur archeologist has found a big treasure trove of over 1,290 priceless, ancient Roman coins dating back to the...