Taposiris Magna was established around 280 BCE by Ptolemy II, the son of one of Alexander the Great’s most celebrated generals and an ancestor of Cleopatra.

Researchers believe the temple at the site was devoted to the god Osiris and his consort Isis—a goddess closely linked to Cleopatra herself. Discoveries at the location include statues of Isis and coins featuring the names and images of both Cleopatra and Alexander the Great.

Ongoing investigations may reveal whether the newly uncovered tunnel leads to the long-sought tombs.

Upcoming efforts will also focus on the nearby Mediterranean Sea. Between 320 and 1303 CE, multiple earthquakes struck the coastline, causing sections of the temple to collapse and sink beneath the water. Earlier excavations have already uncovered an extensive tunnel system connecting Lake Mariout to the Mediterranean.

The tunnel has produced several artifacts so far, including a rectangular limestone block and fragments of pottery.

In 2009, former antiquities minister Zahi Hawass stated that finding the tombs of Cleopatra and Mark Antony would rank as the most significant discovery of the 21st century. Even without that discovery, he emphasized that the site has already yielded major archaeological findings both inside and beyond the temple.