Egypt's most well known body of water is of course the Nile, the longest river in the world, but it is also surrounded by some pretty infamous coastline, which played a significant role in ancient Egyptian life.
The most fascinating aspect of ancient Egypt's coastal region was discovered entirely by accident in 2001.
The ancient city of Heracleion was thought to be a legend until it was found by an archaeologist at the beginning of the century, who was actually looking for 18th Century French warships.
The lost city has revealed a lot about the trade practices of the ancient Egyptians, and their relationships with the Greeks and the Phoenicians. The city sank around 200BC, most likely due to liquefaction following small localised earthquakes.
On the other side of the country's coastline lies The Red Sea. This was vitally important during ancient times as a means of transportation, as it gave Egypt a route to Africa and the Far East, where they were able to exchange goods and cultural items and ideas.
