GEO-ARCHEOLOGY OF PHOENICUS (GREEK AND ROMAN HARBOUR) IN RAS EL-HEKMA, NW COAST OF EGYPT

Phoenicus is a submerged ancient harbour during the Greek and Roman Period and during the II World War. This name means the land of the Phoenicians; it is an excellent windward shore of the two islands of Hanafish, the twin islands described in the Book of Stadiums. One of them rises 4.5 meters above the water; nonetheless, the other protrudes above the surface of the water. Both of them are about half of a qas away from each other, and about 1.25 nautical miles from the land. Fourtau (1914) and Abd El Maguid (2001) state that sailing ships and steam ships are in the habit of taking shelter in them in case of storms. Some geo-archaeological and archaeological remains have been discovered sub-water, in the front shore area and in the back of harbour during a survey on the eastern side of the Ras El Hekma, an area of Egypt's NW coast. The study area is allocated in NW the coast of Egypt. It looks on the Mediterranean Sea, west of Alexandria City for about 235 km and 70 km to the east of Marsa Matruh. It is occupied by sedimentary rocks pertinent to the Tertiary and Quaternary Eras. The western coastline consists of Pleistocene, separated polygons of limestone sheets, and fossil limestone; however, there are coastal platforms, fluvial forms, and solution holes.