Ministry associates sunken firearms in Alexandria with Napoleon

The Ministry of State for Antiquities confirmed on Wednesday that sunken artifacts found off the coast of Egypt’s Mediterranean city of Alexandria date back to the 18th Century, specifically Napoleon Bonaparte’s expedition to Egypt.

Historic guns and rifles, extracted from the seabed off Alexandria’s Gulf of Anfushi, were said to be found on Sunday by a Russian mission, acting in coordination with the Antiquities Ministry. The Russian vessels were searching the sea for sunken artifacts and immersed remains around the Island of Pharos.

According to the Ministry, a team of trained divers retrieved the sunken firearms from the seabed and they were taken to the Egyptian museum for further analysis.

Photos reveal rusted pistols and encrusted rifles. Restoration efforts are underway in hopes of analyzing and displaying the firearms in public museums.

The Ministry’s authorities and specialists from its Department of Sunken Antiquities claimed on its official Facebook page that these firearms were likely associated with the French ship, the “Patriote.” 

The weapons may have fallen off the ship into the Mediterranean during or around the time of Imperial France’s brief occupation of Egypt.

The French expedition into Egypt was led by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1798 and lasted until 1801, when the UK's imperial navy defeated Bonaparte's fleet in Alexandria.

Further information and details surrounding these firearms is expected following forensic studies and restoration efforts.