Lots of of cash depicting Cleopatra VII, an Egyptian pharaoh who was a lover of Julius Caesar and Mark Antony, have been found at Taposiris Magna, a temple website from historic Egypt. On high of that, the identical staff lately discovered a submerged port on the Mediterranean coast of Egypt and say that it is potential that her tomb may very well be situated underwater close to the port.
Each finds are a part of “Cleopatra’s Ultimate Secret,” a brand new documentary that premieres on the Nationwide Geographic channel Sept. 25 at 10 p.m. EDT (9 p.m. CDT) and on Disney+ and Hulu the next day.
In response to Martinez, the cash had been discovered inside a temple devoted to the goddess Isis. Her staff discovered lots of of cash throughout the positioning — greater than 200 contained in the courtyard of the temple, greater than 300 on the entrance, and extra in different areas inside or close to the temple. Notably, the staff unearthed greater than 330 cash close to a wall of the temple in a “sacred trench” that seems to have been hidden.
What’s extra, analysis has revealed a port, which is now underwater, beside the temple. Researchers investigating the port have already discovered the stays of pottery vessels in addition to stone and metallic anchors. This port was in use across the time of Cleopatra.
A lot of the cash are product of bronze. And whereas the excavation, cleansing and identification of the cash is ongoing, it seems that many depict Cleopatra VII, Martinez advised Dwell Science. The cash discovered on the entranceway and courtyard of the temple had been supposed as choices to the goddess Isis, she stated.
Associated: The place is Cleopatra’s tomb?
Cleopatra’s lacking tomb
Cleopatra reigned over Egypt from roughly 51 to 30 B.C. For a time, she was a co-ruler with Caesarion, a toddler who was her son with Julius Caesar. After Caesar’s assassination in 44 B.C., she turned a lover of Mark Antony, a Roman normal who was a co-ruler of the Roman Republic, and had three kids with him. Antony was defeated in a civil warfare in opposition to Octavian, one other Roman co-ruler who later turned Rome’s first and, arguably, longest-serving emperor. After Octavian gained, Cleopatra VII died by suicide quite than be taken to Rome.
Cleopatra VII’s tomb has by no means been discovered, however Martinez stated there’s proof the pharaoh was buried at Taposiris Magna. She made a number of arguments for this, together with that Cleopatra felt a detailed relationship with Isis and that the massive variety of Cleopatra VII cash suggests the tomb is there.
As well as, there are dozens of different burials on the website that date to round Cleopatra’s VII’s time, Martinez stated. A few of these embrace gilded mummies, which point out that Taposiris Magna was used for elite burials in Cleopatra’s time. Many different students disagree with this idea and have a tendency to imagine that Cleopatra was buried in Alexandria.
“Sacred trench”
Martinez’s staff began excavations at Taposiris Magna in 2005 and located the primary Cleopatra VII cash in 2006. They’ve been persevering with excavations ever since. Final yr, they discovered a “sacred trench,” as Martinez referred to as it, that seems to have been hidden close to the wall of the temple.
To date, greater than 330 cash, most of which depict Cleopatra VII, have been discovered inside the ditch. Many different artifacts have additionally been found, together with a bust depicting somebody who may be Cleopatra VII, the stays of feminine make-up, the mannequin of an unknown pharaoh, and a hoop that has a picture of Hathor (a goddess related to love and sweetness) on it together with a Greek inscription on the again which says the “justice of Ra [a sun god] has arisen,” Martinez stated.
Martinez believes these cash and artifacts had been hidden to stop them from being captured by the Romans. “That is clear proof that Cleopatra was cherished they usually wished to protect issues that had been [from her time]” and did not need the Romans getting them, Martinez stated.
“No archaeological proof but”
Dwell Science was proven an unique video clip exhibiting a couple of of the cash being excavated. Students not affiliated with the excavation stated the cash seem to depict Cleopatra VII however disagreed with the concept she is buried on the website.
“Sure certainly, these are cash struck in the course of the reign of Cleopatra, and bearing her portrait,” Andrew Meadows, a classics professor on the College of Oxford, advised Dwell Science in an electronic mail. “Was she buried there? We’ve got completely no historic literary or documentary proof to counsel so. And I’ve seen no archaeological proof but to counsel that she was.”
Thomas Faucher, director of the Middle for Alexandrian Research in Egypt, stated “these are, certainly, bronze cash of Cleopatra VII.” Nonetheless, the “concept of Cleopatra [being] buried in Taposiris has lengthy been rejected by numerous students,” he advised Dwell Science in an electronic mail, including that he additionally has doubts.
Sitta von Reden, a professor of historic historical past on the College of Freiburg in Germany, stated she believes Cleopatra was buried in Alexandria in a now-submerged space close to the royal palace. Nonetheless, she would not rule out that the temple at Taposiris Magna may need claimed to have had Cleopatra’s physique.
“It might be that particular person sanctuaries claimed to have the physique of Cleopatra and should have arrange a cult of their temple district for no matter cause,” von Reden advised Dwell Science in an electronic mail.
Martinez stated she understands that many students disagree along with her idea, however she would not thoughts.
“In science I believe it is good to have completely different opinions,” Martinez stated. She nonetheless believes in her idea, saying that “I’m satisfied that we’ll discover the tomb of Cleopatra at Taposiris Magna.” The tomb may very well be in part of the positioning that’s now underwater, she stated, noting the invention of a massive tunnel resulting in the newfound underwater port. She’s going to proceed to seek for Cleopatra’s tomb on the website till the tomb is discovered there or elsewhere.
