Interestingly, if we study the areas of the Mediterranean Sea near Cilicia and all of its flooded monuments, the holes in the old evidence will be filled, and a new vision will appear, allowing us to rewrite the once glorious pages of our history.
The Mediterranean Sea. With its sunken ships, planes, sunken monuments, settlements, and even treasures of civilizations, it is a real paradise for divers and explorers.
The 21st century opened new horizons for underwater archaeologists. Closed pages of history began to open, and a new direction developed, combining science, keen emotions, and curiosity.
The Gulf of Alexandria has been better explored than Ayas and is accessible to foreign divers. The temptation to dive here is irresistible – even in cold January when the water is freezing and the visibility is not so favorable.
In winter, many companies refused to allow diving in the Gulf of Alexandria even for an additional fee. Fortunately, there was an old and respectable acquaintance in the Sinai Peninsula who once organized my diving tour.
The team of Dr. Ashraf Sabri of the University of Alexandria expressed their willingness to accompany me to the naval shelter. Before reaching the sunken ruins of the Alexandria lighthouse, it turned out that we needed to undergo 3 checks by special services. Dr. Ashraf did the paperwork for me, while the rest was decided by his group on the spot.
Finally, we got to the part of the Mediterranean where the sea covers the ruins of one of the 7 wonders of the Ancient World, the Lighthouse of Alexandria. On the nearby shore, there also was a castle built in the 15th century by Sultan Qaitbay on the site of a lighthouse.
Here, we anchored the ship and dove down. Only at a depth of 10 meters, the ruins of a fallen giant became visible.
As sources testify, “The height of the lighthouse in Alexandria was 120 meters. A fire burned in the round stone pillar above, showing the way to the ships. This was considered a point of view because the installed mirror system allowed the sea to be seen from the top of the tower, as well as allowed to detect enemy ships and blind enemies. The reason for the death of the miracle of the ancient world was the earthquake that occurred in 796 AD.”
For over 1200 years, the columns of the huge structure have been sleeping on the seabed.
The scene is indescribable. You feel like the main character in that adventure film. The sea seems to block your thoughts about the outside world. It fills you with positive energy – there are only you, living water, and a sunken history of millennia, like in a fairy tale.
An unknown civilization rises in your mind in all its splendor․ But sometimes, the presence of the guide tears you away from the world of wonders, reminding you of the outside world.
Half an hour was too little to grasp this reality, but we were still going to see the ruins of the sinking palace of Cleopatra, the Sphinx, the WWI fighter, wrecked ships, and several other monuments.
My curiosity was especially piqued when I imagined that in the 500 km stretch of the Mediterranean, Cilicia could have a new treasure trove of history in memory of Armenia, which has not yet been discovered.
Source: Hy.armradio.am, Աննա Մարտիկյան
Կիլիկիա. Միջերկրական ծովի հայկական գաղտնարանը. «Ծովահայեր»
