Underwater Archeologists Find Ruins of Taposiris Magna

19 September 2025

(Image credit: National Geographic)

Archeologist and National Geographic Explorer Kathleen Martinez’s 20-year hunt for Cleopatra’s tomb has reached a groundbreaking new milestone. With the help of National Geographic Explorer-at-Large Bob Ballard and a team of underwater archeologists, her latest findings at the ruins of Taposiris Magna—including a foundation plate at the temple site, a trove of artifacts, and a 4,265-foot underground tunnel she found in 2022—pointed directly to the discovery of a sunken port in the depths of the Mediterranean Sea.

A series of colossal constructions, arranged in rows and over 20 feet high—including polished floors, cemented blocks, columns, smooth stone, as well as multiple anchors and amphora dated to the time of Cleopatra—suggest the submerged site could have been a port that was once used by Cleopatra.

The underwater discovery adds further credence to Martinez’s theory that Cleopatra’s body was brought to Taposiris Magna, carried through the tunnel and through a port offshore, before being laid to rest, hidden and out of reach of the Romans. After Alexandria was largely destroyed by earthquakes and a tsunami in A.D. 365, the port and any potential tomb may have been submerged.

Martínez remains dedicated to finding Cleopatra, “I’m not going to stop.” Martínez is hopeful that she will find Cleopatra’s tomb. “For me,” she said, “it’s a matter of time.”