The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced that an archaeological mission has uncovered a group of tombs dating back approximately 2,000 years on the Mediterranean coast, along with a complete Byzantine-era city.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the ministry said the discoveries were made in the Marina El-Alamein area, about 100 kilometers west of Alexandria, where excavations revealed 18 tombs from the Greek and Roman periods.

Archaeologists found several burial chambers with their stone cover slabs still intact, as well as a granite sarcophagus measuring approximately 2.5 meters in length with its lid still in place, indicating that the tombs had remained sealed for around two millennia.

The excavations also uncovered pottery, amphorae, dishes, altars, limestone basins, and several architectural elements associated with the tombs.

Headquarters of the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities

Among the most significant finds were 24 gold pieces placed inside the mouths of some of the deceased, representing the "golden tongue," an element linked to funerary beliefs during that period.

The archaeological site on Egypt's northwestern coast is believed to correspond to the ancient city of Leucaspis, mentioned by the Greek geographer Strabo. The city flourished from the Hellenistic through the Byzantine era, reaching its peak of urban and economic activity during the first three centuries AD.

The ministry noted that the latest discoveries bring the total number of tombs uncovered in Marina El-Alamein to 44 since the site was first identified in 1986 during construction work.

In a separate announcement on Friday, the ministry said an Egyptian archaeological mission working in the Dakhla Oasis in New Valley Governorate had uncovered a complete residential city dating to the Byzantine era, with all of its buildings constructed from mudbrick.

The city features a well-organized urban layout, including main streets, squares, and open spaces, with a basilica church at its center overlooking one of the main streets.

Excavations at the site also yielded around 200 ostraca—inscribed pottery fragments—in Coptic and Greek, documenting sales, purchases, correspondence, and other aspects of daily life.

Egypt is seeking to boost tourism revenues by highlighting major archaeological discoveries that showcase the country's rich cultural heritage and attract international visitors.

Tourism remains one of Egypt's main sources of hard currency, alongside revenues from the Suez Canal and remittances from Egyptians working abroad.