Marine archaeologists using advanced underwater LiDAR have identified the submerged ruins of a 3rd-century BCE sanctuary dedicated to the deity Melqart. Located roughly two miles off the coast of Limassol, the site was lost to rising sea levels and tectonic activity in late antiquity. The survey has mapped several large stone blocks, a monumental gateway, and a circular altar that remain standing on the seabed.
Preliminary robotic dives have recovered Phoenician-style incense burners and bronze statuettes of the deity, indicating a strong maritime influence at the site. This discovery is particularly significant as it provides the first physical evidence of a major Melqart sanctuary on the southern coast of Cyprus, which likely served as a protective shrine for Levantine sailors traversing the eastern Mediterranean trade routes.