From sunken shipwrecks laden with treasure to stranger discoveries such as ancient computers, divers have found some amazing items under the ocean waves. These discoveries also include ancient cities, some of which were believed to have been mere legend.
Cuba
One of the cities discovered was found by a Cuban-Canadian expedition team of explorers headed by Paulina Zelitsky and Paul Weinzlveig back in 2001. Paul owned the Canadian company called Advanced Digital Communication (ADC) which was working in close association with the Cuban government on a survey mission. I was one of four firms probing the area while searching for treasure-laden ships from the Spanish colonial era. This city was discovered submerged over 700 metres underwater.
Perplexing structures
The exploration was conducted along the coast of Guanahacabibes Peninsula in the Pinar del Río province of Cuba. While searching for the treasure-laden ships deep within the Atlantic Ocean, they found evidence of a perplexing series of incredible structures which appeared to be manmade. These seemed to show symmetrically organized stones reminiscent of urban development.
The ADC
The ADC team used advanced sonar equipment to study the Cuban waters when they noticed some strange rocks and granite structures on the sea floor. The objects were symmetrical geometrical shapes of stone. The searched area covered an area of two square kilometres with a depth of between 609.6 m and 709.8 (2000 ft and 2460 ft).
The team sent an underwater visual robot that recorded images of the structures in better resolution and clarity. The new pictures determined that the formations—some of which were somewhat pyramidal while others were circular—were made of massive smooth stones which resembled hewn granite. The size of the pyramids was reportedly about 8ft by 10 ft (2.43m by 3.05m) in height and width.
Not a city?
Researchers were quick to reject the idea that these formations were the remains of a lost civilization, though researchers were quick to share local legends of the Maya and native Yucatecans who describe a settlement which was inhabited by their forefathers.
Researchers were compelled to accept that the ‘city’ was built at more or less the same depth at which the underwater city is now located. If the Caribbean Sea simply hadn’t existed for an extended period of time in the past, a reasonably advanced civilization inhabiting the area could have built cities on dry land hundreds of metres below sea level, even 3048 m below sea level. When the Caribbean Sea formed, these cities would have been submerged to a depth equivalent to below sea level when they were originally constructed. The Cuban underwater city would merely be one of these hypothetical cities.
The necessary conditions
What are the necessary conditions for the Caribbean Basin to be dry? The West Indies Archipelago would have been a strip of land lying above sea level throughout its entire length. Said another way, the Yucatan Peninsula must have been connected to Cuba via a land bridge instead of being separated by a strait, and Cuba with Haiti, and Haiti with Puerto Rico, etc. until finally, the island of Grenada must have been connected to the South American mainland with a land bridge, instead of being separated from it by a strait.
Yonagumi Monument
A similar discovery was made in 1986 off the coast of Yonagumi Island in Japan. Known as the “Yonagumi Monument” or the “Yonagumi Submarine Ruins” it is believed to be a completely man-made artificial structure.
Pavopetri
The now underwater city of Pavopetri lies underwater along the coast of Greece. Archaeologists estimate it is about 5000 years old. Discovered in 1967, a proper survey was carried out a year later. It revealed a plan of an ancient town which is believed to be Mycenaean.
Where it lies
It lies underwater about 1m to 3.5m in the Peloponnese. Archaeologists found it on the seabed as an almost complete city with streets, gardens, tombs and what appears to be a religious complex.
Thonis-Heracleion
The city of Thonis-Heracleion completely sunk under the waves 1500 years ago. Archaeologist Frank Goddio and his team had been searching for this lost city since 1996. The time when the city was built is not known. Frank Goddio believes the ground under the city was affected by natural catastrophes so the soil collapsed, sinking over time, it succumbing to soil liquefaction. The hard clay the city was built on turned into liquid, and was not able to support heavy buildings and so collapsed underwater. The team also discovered part of the city of Canopus, which was discovered in the Bay of Aboukir at a depth of 45m (150 ft).
Heracleion was an important Egyptian port city. This is understood from the 64 naval ships buried in sand underwater, most of which are Greek in origin. Statues of Egyptian gods were also found, as were gold coins, bronze statues, and dozens of small sarcophagi.
Many ancient cities have been found under the sea in recent years, from Cuba to Japan. I believe many more will be discovered and explored in the years to come, adding to our knowledge of the ancient past. This can only be a good thing.