Rhapta was a lost trading city that capsized or submerged in the Indian Ocean some 1600 years ago; it was documented in many ancient explorers' records. The city, believed to be more than 2000 years old, was lost. Efforts by researchers and explorers had a number of candidate sites in the Indian Ocean but later discovered the remains of the lost city near the Rufiji delta on the coastline of the Indian Ocean. It is a site worth visiting for travellers who have the chance.
Rhapta was an important trading city, and emporion said to be on the coast of Southeast Africa. First unclosed in the 1st century ce. Its location was not firmly identified till late, and there were a number of plausible candidate sites. The ancient periplus of the Eritrean Sea is described. Rhapta was described as the last emporion of Azania by the Romans.
The story of Tanzanias, the 2000-year-old lost city of Rhapta not much is known about it. Rhapta was among Africa's first metropolises. One of the famous trading ports and cities on the coastline of East Africa is the Indian Ocean. It was a crucial trading port as it lie 8% south of the equator. The facilitation of such a hypothesis can be proved by the prevalence of the monsoon trade winds. The northeastern monsoon winds and the southeastern monsoon winds were good navigation factors driving the ancient marine trade. Dhows drifted up and down the coastline of East Africa depending on these torrents.
The discovery was made by the diver Allan Sutton; he was on a helicopter flight above the Indian Ocean near the Rufiji delta off the Tanzanian coast. This was in 2013. The tides were low, and beneath, he saw strange landmarks. Upon close, Sutton found a mass of what looked like ancient ruins of a lost city. Sutton returned to the site and worked for three years studying the findings. Sutton, a diver with passion and profession, managed to traverse through the wrecks beneath the Indian Ocean and made a huge discovery managing to get the exact location of the remains of the ruined city of Rhapta.
Visiting the site will enable travellers to know and come across the hidden gem in African history. One can also visit Kilwa Kisiwani and Songo Mnara sites to see ancient ruins. Listed in the world heritage sites.
We welcome you all to explore with us and tourHQ to explore Tanzania, the land of Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar. We welcome you all to Rhapta ruins.