Archaeologists Closing In on Possible Site of Cleopatra's Tomb

[Viggen]

A team of archaeologists from Egypt and the Dominican Republic believe that they are on the verge of locating the burial site of legendary Egyptian Queen Cleopatra and her illustrious Roman consort, Marc Antony. The team, doing excavations near the famous Egyptian port city of Alexandria, uncovered a number of coins, funerary masks and gold-covered mummies indicating they could be close to discovering the site.

 

full article at Voice of America

[400BC]

From reading the articles of Agence France-Presse on that topic, ones gets the impression the supposed sites for the tomb(s) might be below the water table. That could turn one of the most exciting finds in recent Egyptian archaeology into one of its greatest disappointments.

[Kosmo]

The most important parts of graeco-roman Alexandria are believed to be under the sea as a result of an earthquake in the Middle Ages.

Anyway Hawass FTW

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/18/world/mi...zahi&st=cse

[sylla]

Is there any textual evidence on Mark Anthony or Cleopatra being buried at all?

[400BC]

Is there any textual evidence on Mark Anthony or Cleopatra being buried at all?

 

There is, actually. Plutarch's Life of Antomy:

 

"Many kings and great commanders made petition to Caesar (note: Octavian) for the body of Antony, to give him his funeral rites; but he would not take away his corpse from Cleopatra, by whose hands he was buried with royal splendor and magnificence, it being granted to her to employ what she pleased on his funeral."

 

Later:

 

"When she understood this (note: that she was about to be sent to Rome), she made her request to Caesar that he would be pleased to permit her to make oblations to the departed Antony; which being granted, she ordered herself to be carried to the place where he was buried, and there, accompanied by her women, she embraced his tomb with tears in her eyes, and spoke in this manner: "O, dearest Antony," said she, "it is not long since that with these hands I buried you; then they were free, now I am a captive, and pay these last duties to you with a guard upon me, for fear that my just griefs and sorrows should impair my servile body, and make it less fit to appear in their triumph over you. No further offerings or libations expect from me;"

 

And after her suicide:

 

"But Caesar, though much disappointed by her death, yet could not but admire the greatness of her spirit, and gave order that her body should he buried by Antony with royal splendor and magnificence."

[Maty]

The most important parts of graeco-roman Alexandria are believed to be under the sea as a result of an earthquake in the Middle Ages.

Anyway Hawass FTW

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/18/world/mi...zahi&st=cse

As I understand it, this tomb is some 50km outside Alexandria

 

http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2009/04/19/c...ark-antony.html

[sylla]

Is there any textual evidence on Mark Anthony or Cleopatra being buried at all?

 

There is, actually. Plutarch's Life of Antomy:

 

"Many kings and great commanders made petition to Caesar (note: Octavian) for the body of Antony, to give him his funeral rites; but he would not take away his corpse from Cleopatra, by whose hands he was buried with royal splendor and magnificence, it being granted to her to employ what she pleased on his funeral."

 

Later:

 

"When she understood this (note: that she was about to be sent to Rome), she made her request to Caesar that he would be pleased to permit her to make oblations to the departed Antony; which being granted, she ordered herself to be carried to the place where he was buried, and there, accompanied by her women, she embraced his tomb with tears in her eyes, and spoke in this manner: "O, dearest Antony," said she, "it is not long since that with these hands I buried you; then they were free, now I am a captive, and pay these last duties to you with a guard upon me, for fear that my just griefs and sorrows should impair my servile body, and make it less fit to appear in their triumph over you. No further offerings or libations expect from me;"

 

And after her suicide:

 

"But Caesar, though much disappointed by her death, yet could not but admire the greatness of her spirit, and gave order that her body should he buried by Antony with royal splendor and magnificence."

Thanks a lot.

 

BTW, you have a great notebook.

Edited April 20, 2009 by sylla

[Viggen]

...today is a report in CNN about one of the archaologists at the site (pretty amazing she is from the Dominican Republic, not really the country you would expect to have someone with such a passion about this period of time) http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/africa/04/19...opatra.mystery/

[sylla]

...today is a report in CNN about one of the archaologists at the site (pretty amazing she is from the Dominican Republic, not really the country you would expect to have someone with such a passion about this period of time) http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/africa/04/19...opatra.mystery/

In fact, Dominican researchers have been Hawass' partners for some time, including many of his highly publicized findings.

Edited April 23, 2009 by sylla

[Kosmo]

A nice piece about Cleopatra

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/22/opinion/22schiff.html?em

[sylla]

A nice piece about Cleopatra

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/22/opinion/22schiff.html?em

Indeed; one must agree with Cleopatra's image being more literary than historical (Ms. Schiff's depiction included), but hardly with her 21 years ruling "alone". As any other of the late Ptolemies, she was a client puppet monarch, essentially a Roman pro-magistrate backed by the legions from the beginning to the end and with questionable executive capabilities, despite the Augustan propaganda.

[DDickey]

From the CNN article, my favorite quote in the entire piece:

 

Hawass dismisses with lusty contempt the people who espouse the more fantastic theories (that aliens built the pyramids, that the Sphinx is more than 10,000 years old), labeling them "pyramidiots."

 

I'm going to start using that: Pyramidiots.

[suzhannah]

The most important parts of graeco-roman Alexandria are believed to be under the sea as a result of an earthquake in the Middle Ages.

Anyway Hawass FTW

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/18/world/mi...zahi&st=cse

As I understand it, this tomb is some 50km outside Alexandria

 

http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2009/04/19/c...ark-antony.html

 

It would be remarkable to find the tomb of Cleopatra, but i would be over awed if they are digging just outside of Alexandria, that they may at last discover the body of Alexandra the great after Antiochus nicked it. Of course, no evidence to support he is laid to rest there, however, we can only remain hopeful.

 

A word on preservation. It is likely that if Cleopatra's tomb lay underwater, that artifacts could be preserved, just look at what they are still dredging out of the Black sea intact. Am living in hope again of course.

[DecimusCaesar]

...today is a report in CNN about one of the archaologists at the site (pretty amazing she is from the Dominican Republic, not really the country you would expect to have someone with such a passion about this period of time) http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/africa/04/19...opatra.mystery/

 

Fascinating interview, it's odd how such small things like an family argument about Cleopatra can spark such life long interest. I hope she does discover it, although not too long ago I watched a documentary about Cleopatra, which was originally shown on the Discovery Channel in 1997, and even then they considered that Cleopatra's tomb was about to be discovered soon.