Could the centuries-old mystery of Cleopatra’s resting place finally be sinking into the light? A high-stakes dive into Egypt’s past has archaeologists buzzing: a submerged port, once lost to the waves, is rewriting the legend of Cleopatra—and might just bring us closer to finding her elusive tomb.
An Underwater Enigma Unearthed
Kathleen Martínez, a Dominican criminal lawyer turned unconventional archaeologist (yes, really), has spent the last two decades sleuthing for one of the most tantalizing secrets of antiquity: the tomb of Cleopatra VII. Her relentless pursuit has led her to suspect hidden, overlooked subterranean sites—locations dismissed by many of her peers.
Her latest investigation unfolds at Taposiris Magna, a neglected temple about fifty kilometers west of Alexandria near Borg El Arab. This was no ordinary dig. In the company of Bob Ballard, the legendary explorer famous for discovering the Titanic, Martínez embarked on a deep-sea quest that produced results worthy of the gods and maybe even a streaming documentary (spoiler: that’s happening).
Discovery Beneath the Waves
What did Martínez and Ballard’s underwater team find? A landscape lost—for centuries—beneath the Mediterranean. Amphorae, anchors, impressive columns, and a slick, polished floor point to the existence of an ancient port swallowed by the sea just off the ruins of Taposiris Magna. According to the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, this discovery hints that Taposiris Magna was not just a spiritual center, but also a commercial port, far more extensive than previously imagined.
To Martínez, this gives the temple “great importance” and provides all the right conditions to have been chosen as the final resting place for Cleopatra and her beloved Roman, Mark Antony. She’s not shy about it: “No one can tell me Cleopatra isn’t at Taposiris Magna. To say that, you’d have to excavate the entire zone and not find her.”
This port is just part of an archaeological goldmine. In 2022, her international team unearthed a 1,300-meter tunnel running straight toward the sea—twelve meters underground, peppered with Ptolemaic-era jars and pottery. To Martínez, this supports the idea that the port was active in Cleopatra’s day and perhaps even at the start of her family’s dynastic reign.
The Life and Legend of Cleopatra
Cleopatra VII was born in 69 BCE and ascended Egypt’s throne at just eighteen. The last ruler of the Ptolemaic dynasty, she was revered—and feared—by powerful men. The Romans, not terribly keen on her alliance with Julius Caesar (and later Mark Antony), labelled her a dangerous seductress, a reputation that outlived her and was amplified by Western historians and artists.
Martínez sees Cleopatra’s life as a fiery rebuff to gender roles: “She was a philosopher. She was a doctor. She was a chemist. She was a cosmetic specialist,” she notes. Her reign, romance, and resistance are legendary. After Caesar’s assassination, Cleopatra lived through an infamous eleven-year love (and political) affair with Mark Antony. Their fates intertwined spectacularly, culminating at the Battle of Actium, where Cleopatra commanded her own fleet—a rare feat for any ancient royalty, let alone a woman.
The end was as dramatic as her life: Antony, defeated, reportedly took his own life in Cleopatra’s mausoleum; Cleopatra, refusing Roman captivity, ended hers at 39—possibly by snake venom, though this remains unproven. Ancient accounts claim the lovers were buried together in Alexandria, yet despite centuries of searching, no tomb has been found. Factor in cataclysmic earthquakes—the 365 CE shock submerged much of historic Alexandria—and it’s little wonder that the truth remains entombed.
A Quest Driven by Evidence—and Determination
Martínez’s investigative flair is undeniable. Treating Cleopatra’s disappearance like a cold case, she mapped every temple Cleopatra could have reached from Alexandria in a single day. Her efforts crystallized at Taposiris Magna, with digs starting back in 2005.
Her team’s finds are extraordinary: a foundational stele with hieroglyphic and Greek text proving the temple was dedicated to Isis (whom Cleopatra was widely identified with), hundreds of human remains—including gold leaf-wrapped mummies—plus pottery and over 300 coins, some bearing Cleopatra’s image.
On land and now underwater, the discoveries have been piling up—more than 2,600 objects so far, in a spot once written off as barren. “We’ve already changed history, even if we haven’t yet found Cleopatra’s tomb. I’ve proved the doubters wrong,” she says with justifiable satisfaction.
Ballard, using sonar and the might of the Egyptian navy, mapped nearly ten kilometers of key zones, revealing a submerged shoreline, artificial stone structures, and relics of daily ancient life—pockets once used by fishermen for stashing tools, blocks held together by mortar, and impressive columns.
The team’s focus is now turning to features they’ve dubbed “Salam 5” (rectangular stone structures) and “the Three Sisters” (a trio of stone pillars), with new dives planned soon.
Conclusion: Peering Into the Past, Step by Step
Whether or not Taposiris Magna proves to be Cleopatra’s real tomb, the finds led by Martínez and Ballard are rewriting the archaeology of Ptolemaic Egypt. As one external expert points out, these discoveries promise to enrich our understanding of both the period and the temple’s own past. Martínez is undeterred: “I will not stop. For me, it’s just a matter of time.”
So, next time you think your keys are lost forever, remember: some mysteries take centuries… and a fearless voyage underwater.
