A SUNKEN ancient Egyptian temple has been discovered by archaeologists and it’s full of treasure.
The discovery was made by an underwater team off the Mediterranean coast of Egypt.
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Several precious artifacts were found in the underwater templeCredit: Christoph Gerigk ©Franck Goddio/Hilti Foundation
According to Live Science, the treasure inside the watery temple included precious gold and jewelry.
It’s thought the temple was built for the Egyptian god Amun thousands of years ago.
The site is now 4.3 miles away from Egypt’s coast.
Experts believe it was once part of the port city of Thonis-Heracleion.
They think it collapsed in the mid-century BC in a disastrous event.
The European Institute for Underwater Archaeology published a statement about the discovery.
It said pharaohs once went to the temple to “receive from the supreme god of the ancient Egyptian pantheon the titles of their power as universal kings.”
Franck Goddio is the president of IEASM and led the excavation.
He added: “It is extremely moving to discover such delicate objects, which survived intact despite the violence and magnitude of the cataclysm.”
Silver ritual instruments and alabaster jars that once held perfume or oils were also found.
Archaeologists also found evidence of a Greek sanctuary nearby.
It’s thought this place was dedicated to the goddess Aphrodite.
Several precious artifacts were found inside it including bronze objects.
The IEASM statement explained: “This illustrates that Greeks who were allowed to trade and settle in the city during the time of the Pharaohs of the Saïte dynasty [between 688 B.C. and 525 B.C.]
had their sanctuaries to their own gods.”