The key to solving Cleopatra's final mystery was found at the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea.

An archaeological expedition from the Pedro Henriques Ureña National University in the Dominican Republic has discovered a submerged harbor that is simultaneously connected to the Mediterranean Sea and the Temple of Taposiris Magna, the "Great Tomb of Osiris," located 45 kilometers west of Alexandria.

Since 2002, researchers have been searching for Cleopatra's supposed resting place in this temple complex. A new discovery, not mentioned in ancient sources, may bring scientists closer to solving the mystery surrounding the fate of Egypt's last queen.

The harbor, designed to shelter ships from storms, is separated from the sea by a natural barrier of coral reefs. It was also established that a tunnel extends from it, leading to Taposiris Magna. The underground corridor itself, over 1,300 meters long and located at a depth of 13 meters, was discovered in 2022.

While exploring the harbor, archaeologists found numerous stone and metal anchors of varying sizes, as well as clusters of amphorae dating back to the Ptolemaic era. These artifacts prove that the city of Taposiris Magna, founded in 280–270 BC, was not only a religious center but also an important trading hub. Analysis revealed that in ancient times, the coastline was four kilometers closer to land, reflecting significant environmental changes over millennia.

The discovery of the harbor adds to a series of unique finds by Dominican specialists. Previously, they uncovered approximately 340 coins depicting Cleopatra, oil lamps, limestone food storage vessels, cosmetics, bronze figurines and jewelry, a scarab amulet with the inscription "The justice of Ra shines," as well as ritual pottery and funerary objects.

All this evidence helped to date the construction of the temple of Taposiris Magna to the 1st century BC, and also to establish the presence of an older Greek sanctuary from the 4th century BC, which was probably destroyed between the 2nd century BC and the beginning of the Christian era.

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