The ‘Sunken Treasures: The Maritime Heritage of the Red Sea’ exhibition at the Red Sea Museum in Historic Jeddah is showcasing underwater archaeological discoveries found along the Saudi coastline.
The exhibition also highlights ongoing efforts to preserve the Kingdom’s rich maritime heritage through national and international cooperation, including partnerships with UNESCO.
The Sunken Treasures exhibition documents ongoing initiatives to explore, protect and record underwater cultural heritage within an integrated ecological and cultural framework, while promoting public awareness of marine history preservation and Saudi Arabia’s growing role in maritime archaeology and conservation.
The Sunken Treasures exhibition traces the historical significance of the Red Sea as a major trade, pilgrimage and communication corridor linking Asia, Africa and the Mediterranean for thousands of years. Through archaeological findings and historical documentation, visitors gain insight into the region’s long-standing maritime activity and its role in shaping global commercial and cultural exchanges.
Key attractions at Sunken Treasures Expo
Among the highlights of Sunken Treasures include documented shipwreck discoveries found off the coasts of Jeddah, Yanbu, Umluj and the Farasan Islands. The underwater sites contain remains of ancient merchant vessels that sank during different historical eras, offering valuable evidence of the intense maritime movement that once passed through the Red Sea.
Image credits: SPA | Cropped and Edited by GBN
The Sunken Treasures exhibition also features a wide range of maritime artifacts recovered from underwater sites, including stone and wooden anchors, Chinese and Islamic ceramics, ancient pottery, glassware, coins and historic navigational instruments used in maritime trade. The collections reflect the strategic importance of Saudi ports in connecting trade routes between the East and the West across centuries.
Highlighting scientific research, documentation
In addition to displaying archaeological discoveries, the Sunken Treasures exhibition highlights Saudi Arabia’s ongoing scientific research and documentation projects aimed at preserving underwater heritage sites.
Image credits: SPA | Cropped by GBN
It also sheds light on specialized training programs developed to build national expertise in deep-sea archaeology and conservation.
The exhibition underscores the Kingdom’s broader efforts to safeguard marine cultural heritage for future generations while advancing research, conservation and international collaboration in the field of underwater archaeology.
