Archaeologists have uncovered a colossal underground tunnel beneath the ruins of a temple in the ancient Egyptian city of Taposiris Magna—an architectural marvel that experts are calling a “geometric miracle” of ancient engineering.
The discovery, made 13 meters (43 feet) below ground at the coastal archaeological site west of Alexandria, was led by Kathleen Martinez, an archaeologist from the University of Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, whose team has been excavating Taposiris Magna for over a decade.
Measuring approximately 2 meters in height and stretching an astonishing 1,305 meters (4,281 feet) through solid sandstone, the tunnel is being hailed as one of the most significant engineering feats from antiquity. Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities compared the structure to the famed Tunnel of Eupalinos, a sixth-century BCE aqueduct carved through a mountain on the Greek island of Samos, long celebrated as a masterpiece of ancient design.
Though its precise purpose remains under study, the tunnel is believed to run beneath a temple dedicated to Osiris, the Egyptian god of the afterlife, and his consort Isis, the goddess of magic and rebirth. The discovery deepens the intrigue surrounding Taposiris Magna—a city founded around 280 BCE during the reign of Ptolemy II Philadelphus, one of Cleopatra’s ancestors and the son of Alexander the Great’s general, Ptolemy I.
Martinez, who has spent nearly two decades searching for Cleopatra’s lost tomb in the region, noted the symbolic and cultural power of subterranean structures in ancient Egypt. “The ancient Egyptians speak to us through their tombs,” she said. “They believed the path to eternity began underground.”
Excavations have already uncovered pottery, inscriptions, and a series of ritual chambers surrounding the tunnel’s entrance. Initial assessments suggest it may have served as a processional route or held symbolic significance tied to the Osiris-Isis mythos—a cornerstone of ancient Egyptian religious beliefs. Additional chambers and niches, yet to be fully explored, hint at further ceremonial or funerary uses.
The discovery not only underscores the sophistication of Ptolemaic-era engineering, but also fuels speculation among Egyptologists that Taposiris Magna could hold the remains of Cleopatra VII and her lover, Roman general Mark Antony—a theory that Martinez’s team has long pursued despite scholarly skepticism.
Taposiris Magna—Latin for “Great Tomb of Osiris”—has captivated both historians and the public for years due to its strategic position near Lake Mariout and its fusion of Hellenistic and Pharaonic architectural elements. The site has previously yielded Greco-Roman statues, burial shafts, and a coin depicting Cleopatra herself.
As Martinez’s excavation continues, the tunnel’s full significance remains a mystery—but for now, the discovery offers a dramatic new glimpse into the hidden infrastructure of an ancient civilization still revealing its secrets.
