An Egyptian archaeological expedition uncovered the remains of a residential and commercial city dating back to the Greco-Roman era in the Alexandria region on the northern coast.
During excavations in the Al-Shatbi area, "the expedition discovered a large network of pink-colored tunnel tanks to store rainwater, flood and groundwater for use during drought," said Mostafa Waziri, general secretary of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities.
He added that research shows that the settlement was in use from the second century BC to the fourth century AD.
He said that pottery pots and some statues were found in over 40 wells and reservoirs, indicating a large population in the area near Alexandria, then the capital of Egypt during the Greco-Roman era.
Waziri said the expedition also found holiday homes for travelers and visitors, where they were awaiting permission to enter the city, as well as homes used as tax collection centers.
He noted that preliminary studies of the discovered area showed that "it consisted of a main street and several branches, which are all connected by a sewer network."
Meanwhile, the director general of the Alexandria Antiquities Authority, Khaled Abu Hamad, said the city had a large market, pot shops and statue-making workshops.
He added that about 700 coins and utensils of various shapes were found in the discovered city, as well as a large number of fishing tools.
"It took nine months to excavate the old city," Abu Hamad said, stressing the area's importance in linking trade between east and west.
