Menouthis

Menouthis was a holy city in Egypt near Alexandria, which was dedicated to the gods Isis and Serapis. She sank after several unexplained disasters in the 8th century AD in the sea.

In the years 2000 and 2001 Franck Goddio led his team investigations in the Bay of Aboukir. They discovered the port city of Herakleion (now about 6 kilometers away from the coast ), parts of Canopus and evidence for the existence of Menouthis. They were about 8 meters in depth and were from 2 feet covered in sand.

A temple dedicated to the goddess Isis made ​​the city the religious center of ancient Egypt and attracted many pilgrims. The discovery of this temple was just an indication of Goddio that there probably Menouthis is buried.

Duties of ships that were about to sail from the Mediterranean to the Nile, bestowed on the cities a high degree of prosperity. But the legacies in the sea suggests that the people of the city abruptly and hastily left without ever return. Scientists agree that at least two disasters hit the area and left to perish. One explanation is that the land sank beneath the sea surface due to several earthquakes. The region could also have been inundated with several Nile floods in the years 741 or 742.

• Ancient Egyptian city