Nile flooding sank two ancient cities

Stanley, Jean‐Daniel; Goddio, Franck; Schnepp, Gerard

doi:10.1038/35085628

Cited by 33 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…Furthermore, the counter‐clockwise Levantine gyre disperses Nile derived particles eastward, which prevent Nile material from reaching Alexandria bay. In addition, Alexandria bay sediments from core V do not record any immediate Pb enrichment following the foundation of close by trade cities (between 700 and 600BC), namely Naucratis, Menouthis and Heraklion [ Stanley et al , 2001]. These data all corroborate a local, in situ, provenance for pollutant Pb encountered in ancient Alexandrian sediments.…”

Section: Geochemical Data Set For Sediment Deposits From Core CII (Almentioning

confidence: 54%

Pollutant lead reveals the pre‐Hellenistic occupation and ancient growth of Alexandria, Egypt

Véron

Goiran

Morhange

et al. 2006

Geophysical Research Letters

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It is generally accepted that Alexandria ad Aegyptum was founded ex nihilo in 331 BC by Alexander the Great, rapidly growing into one of antiquity's most opulent economic and intellectual centers. However, ancient texts by Strabo (17.1.6) and Pliny (NH 5.11.62) suggest the existence of a pre‐Hellenistic settlement named Rhakotis. This literary evidence has fuelled contentious scholarly debate for decades. Here we present new geochemical data from Alexandria's ancient bay sediments, elucidating unequivocal proof for pollutant lead (Pb) input into the harbor during the Egyptian Old Kingdom (2686–2181 BC). A second contamination peak is detected during the Iron Age (1000–800 BC), at the end of the prosperous Ramesses reigns. These findings evidence thriving pre‐Hellenistic settlements in Alexandria. During the Greek and Roman periods, we expound the largest Pb pollution ever encountered in ancient city sediments with Pb levels twice as high as those measured in contemporary industrialized estuaries.

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Section: Geochemical Data Set For Sediment Deposits From Core CII (Almentioning

confidence: 54%

Pollutant lead reveals the pre‐Hellenistic occupation and ancient growth of Alexandria, Egypt

Véron

Goiran

Morhange

et al. 2006

Geophysical Research Letters

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“…Submerged archeological sites which were built onshore went underwater at Abu Qir Bay (Bonaparte's Fleet, Canopus and Herakleion cities ruins); Ptolemaic, and Roman ruins submerged in the eastern sector of Alexandria's Eastern Harbor below 8 m from MSL. Canopus and Herakleion, dated from Greek to Byzantine times, were discovered at depths of 6-7 m in the western part of Abu Qir bay (Toussoun 1934;Stanley et al 2001). Five Historical military castles, older than 200 years, are located along the coastline of Abu Qir Bay (location in Fig.…”

Section: Eroding the Whole Lagoon Barriermentioning

confidence: 98%

Alexandria-Nile Delta coast, Egypt: update and future projection of relative sea-level rise

Frihy¹,

Deabes²,

Shereet³

et al. 2009

Environ Earth Sci

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Previous studies have indicated that the Nile River deltaic plain is vulnerable to a number of aspects, including beach erosion, inundation, and relatively high rates of land subsidence. This issue motivates an update and analysis of new tide-gauge records, from which relative sea-level changes can be obtained. Estimated rates from five tide gauges are variable in terms of magnitude and temporal trend of rising sea level. Analysis of historical records obtained from tide gauges at Alexandria, Rosetta, Burullus, Damietta, and Port Said show a continuous rise in mean sea level fluctuating between 1.8 and 4.9 mm/year; the smaller rate occurs at the Alexandria harbor, while the higher one at the Rosetta promontory. These uneven spatial and temporal trends of the estimated relative sea-level rise (RSLR) are interpreted with reference to local geological factors. In particular, Holocene sediment thickness, subsidence rate and tectonism are correlated with the estimated rates of relative sea-level change. From the relatively weak correlation between them, we presume that tectonic setting and earthquakes, both recent and historical ones, contribute more to accelerated RSLR than that of dewatering and compression/ dewatering of Holocene mud underlying the Nile Delta plain. As a result, large areas of the coastal plain have been subsided, but some sectors have been uplifted in response to tectonic activities of thick underlying older strata. Projection of averaged sea-level rise trend reveals that not all the coastal plain of the Nile Delta and Alexandria is vulnerable to accelerated sea-level rise at the same level due to wide variability of the land topography, that includes low-lying areas, high-elevated coastal ridges and sand dunes, accretionary beaches, and artificially protective structures. Interaction of all aspects (tectonic regime, topography, geomorphology, erosion rate, and RSLR rate) permitted to define risk areas much vulnerable to impacts of sea incursion due to accelerated sea-level rise.

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“…This is substantiated by writings of Sophronius of Jerusalem, who indicated that a temple dedicated to Christian Evangelists in Eastern Canopus was still upright at the beginning of the seventh century A.D. At that time, it was located on a beach with marine waters lapping against its base and coastal sand accumulating along part of its foundation (Toussoun, 1934). Dated gold coins discovered at the site indicate that the temple's final destruction and submergence occurred in the mid-eighth century A.D. (Stanley et al, 2001).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Submergence of Ancient Greek Cities Off Egyptʼs Nile Delta—A Cautionary Tale

Stanley¹,

Goddio²,

Jorstad³

et al. 2004

GSA Today

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This geoarchaeological analysis illustrates the extreme consequences that occur when protection measures related to coastal sites and associated environmental conditions are overlooked. Two ancient Greek cities, Herakleion and Eastern Canopus, originally occupied low-lying delta coastal areas along the Canopic channel of the Nile. Both were unprotected against flooding, earthquake, tsunami, and consequent subsidence. These sites, recently discovered in Abu Qir Bay on the northwestern margin of Egypt's Nile delta, were lowered a total of 8 m during the past 2500 yr, and now lie at water depths of 5-7 m. The two cities were located along the delta coast at river mouths that flooded annually, and man-made structures were built directly on underconsolidated sediment prone to geohazards. Processes leading to their submergence are interpreted on the basis of integrated archaeological, physiographic, geological (including cores), and geophysical (side-scan sonar, nuclear resonance magnetometer, high-resolution seismic) information. Gradual subsidence due to relative sealevel rise (eustatic rise, land lowering by sediment compaction) accounted for 4-5 m of submergence. Episodic failure during floods and earthquakes by loading and sediment remobilization of the water-saturated substrate upon which the cities were situated likely caused the additional 3-4 m of subsidence. Without foundations, pilings, dikes, or other protection measures, it is not surprising that the sites, over the long term, were damaged and subsided completely into the bay. Ancient cities discussed here cause us to reflect on present-day site selection and construction practices in modern deltaic and associated wetland settings, and potential challenges related to substrate failure and other coastal hazards.

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Nile flooding sank two ancient cities

Cited by 33 publications

References 2 publications

Pollutant lead reveals the pre‐Hellenistic occupation and ancient growth of Alexandria, Egypt

Pollutant lead reveals the pre‐Hellenistic occupation and ancient growth of Alexandria, Egypt

Alexandria-Nile Delta coast, Egypt: update and future projection of relative sea-level rise

Submergence of Ancient Greek Cities Off Egyptʼs Nile Delta—A Cautionary Tale

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