It is believed that modern scientists have studied no more than five percent of the underwater depths, and no one knows how many mysteries are stored on the ocean floor. Ancient cities that went under water and wiped off the face of the earth as a result of various disasters are reliably hidden in the sea abyss. There are stored their important unsolved secrets for humanity.
Mythical Atlantis
Everyone knows the ancient myth of the continent that sank millions of years ago with a technologically advanced civilization. Thousands of scientists around the world are trying to find out if the legendary Atlantis really existed , or is it just a beautiful legend that has survived to this day. And if the mainland really went under water, then everyone cares about the place of his last refuge. However, not a single artifact found still opens the veil of this mysterious story.
In our article, we will pay attention to real ancient cities that went under water at different time periods.
Ruins near Japan
Not all sunken monuments were found by scientists, and the discovered ruins by an ordinary diver near the Yonaguni Islands are vivid confirmation of this. In 1987, a gigantic complex consisting of a stadium, many buildings, road tracks, became a real sensation in the scientific world. Researchers in marine geology have found that the sunken city, known as the islands and gone into the abyss after a devastating earthquake and subsequent tsunami, is about five thousand years old.
Numerous allegations that an exceptional find is the work of nature itself were found to be erroneous after the discovery of monumental blocks with openings of the correct shape, and impeccably smooth steps, clearly processed by man. The same ruins, formerly huge terraces, were discovered on the surface of the island itself.
Ancient cities that went under water. The hidden history of civilization
The underwater monument, located at a depth of twenty-five meters and called the Japanese Atlantis, is not guarded by the authorities, who did not consider it necessary to give the sunken city a special status. Now this place has become a favorite for all divers interested in a strange construction. There really is something to see: perfectly smooth blocks covered with a mysterious ornament, one of the giant platforms was a stone-carved pool, the sculpture found next to the monument resembles a sitting Egyptian sphinx, and the turned head on a round boulder gazes steadily somewhere.
Numerous plaques found nearby are dotted with strange inscriptions, a bit like Egyptian hieroglyphs. By the way, so far not a single message has been deciphered, although scientists agree that it was on stone relics that the history of the ancient structure that sunk as a result of a natural catastrophe was engraved. The cities that have gone under water and are well preserved at the bottom become vivid proof of the existence of developed civilizations that perished as a result of natural disasters.
Ancient relics of the Greek Pavlopetri
The oldest city, discovered by archaeologists in 1968, is perfectly preserved on the seabed. At the beginning of the 20th century, a geologist from Athens, who had been researching for a long time, told the government the location of the ancient city that had gone under water as an earthquake. And only after almost seventy years, the famous oceanographer, together with the archaeological group at a shallow depth, discovered not only sunken buildings with streets, but also tombs belonging to the Mycenaean period, which gave the world ancient myths.
Cambridge University became interested in the find, determining that the city was inhabited as far back as the 9th century BC. However, the age of the found ruins is still debated, because some of the objects raised from the water turned out to be much older than it was established by scientists.
Amazing discovery
The uniqueness of Pavlopetri lies in the fact that previously found ancient cities that went under the water did not trade with the countries of the Mediterranean, and their harbors did not become a busy port. A prosperous and well-maintained city, not marked on any map, occupied a large area of about thirty thousand square meters. In a flooded large settlement, divers discovered a large hall, used for meetings and called a megaron. It was found that the port city was governed by a government chosen by the inhabitants, and an amazing discovery allowed a glimpse into the life of the ancient Greeks. The place, which became the main point of transport interchanges, with a developed culture and writing, stood out among other underwater cities.
Historic Monument of World Significance
Researchers found two-story buildings, a temple, a market square, and even plumbing with toilets. Currently considered a monument of world importance buildings that went under water. Cities at the depths of the deep sea, discovered after a unique find, were not so ancient and not so well explored. In this case, the sensation was the age of Pavlopetri, who had sunk to the bottom, who had sunk before the moment when Plato spoke in his writings about the tragic end of the mysterious Atlantis. Some scholars suggest that the philosopher knew about the fate of the port city, and it was this story that inspired him to talk about the non-existent continent. Now Pavlopetri is considered the oldest and most unique settlement found by archaeologists on the seabed for all time, and in 2009 its location was still mapped on the globe.
Legend that has come true
More than 12 centuries ago, the ancient Egyptian metropolis, mentioned by Herodotus as one of the most magnificent and wealthy - Ancient Heraklion, went under water. The lost city under water, according to scientists, died as a result of a major earthquake, and after the disaster, it sank. True, researchers are still arguing about the reasons for going deeper into a thriving shopping center, which sank almost four meters, and so far they cannot come to a common opinion. Many are convinced that civilization died as a result of severe flooding after the spill of the Nile. For a long time, the story of the sunken ancient metropolis was considered nothing more than a myth, and the more surprising was the message in 2000 by an underwater archaeologist about the found ruins near the city of Alexandria.
Amazing Finds
A true cultural center and a major maritime denouement was found Ancient Heraclion. The city under the water was called the gate of Egypt because of its many contacts with foreign merchants who visited the port. Debris of ships, valuables, ancient coins hid under the thickness of silt and water. The main artifact confirming ownership was a huge black stela with the name of the metropolis.
Studies of the underwater depths have been going on for fifteen years, thousands of priceless relics raised to the surface. The most interesting find was the main city temple. Massive sculptures of the pharaoh and god Nile made of pink granite were found next to the destroyed stone fragments of the religious building, according to their defeated position at the bottom, and conclusions were drawn about the destructive power of the earthquake. Inside the temple, they found a huge tomb, dotted with hieroglyphs. A recent translation of some of its parts fully confirmed the fact of finding a genuine Heraclion.
Underwater Chinese Attractions
Fifty years ago, the Chinese government decided to flood two historical monuments in the Zhejiang province during the construction of the hydropower plant, which are about 1800 years old. The locals were resettled, and the ancient Chinese cities that went under the water, after forty years, became a real local attraction. The huge lake now attracts divers from all over the world who are surprised at the excellent preservation of all buildings made of wood that have not collapsed during such a long time in the water.
Unfortunately, along with the cities, all nearby villages with a huge area of fertile land sank. And all lovers of the underwater depths lament with regret that the flooded ancient cities with many colorful structures, temples, residential buildings are now hidden from numerous people's eyes. The only way to contemplate such majestic paintings of ancient buildings is to sink to the bottom. Admirers of world architectural achievements are delighted to watch the unique underwater views that can compete with the most famous cultural monuments.
Ancient cities that went under water: Anapa
Most recently, a group of divers unsuccessfully searching for a crashed plane in the Black Sea region discovered the walls of an ancient and hitherto unknown city. Researchers of the seabed are sure that this is a sunken civilization with a highly developed culture and technology. Scientists who compare the architecture of underwater structures with the pyramids in Mexico and the ruins of Yonaguni agree with them. A certain similarity of the method of masonry between them was established, which means that it is really a very old city, incorporating several cultures at once. The find was not a big surprise for archaeologists, because even before they had found numerous confirmations of the ancient city being here.
All the amazing finds of the deep sea are carefully studied by scientists. There has long been talk that ancient cities that went under water are the progenitors of modern humanity. The great civilizations that have sunk after global catastrophes hide important secrets that must be understood for the further development of the historical process.