The "Sunken Treasures: The Maritime Heritage of the Red Sea" exhibition concluded its six-month run at the Red Sea Museum in Historic Jeddah, offering visitors an educational journey into centuries of maritime trade, navigation, and pilgrimage. Housed at the historic Bab Al-Bunt building since February 25, the exhibition highlighted the Red Sea's historical role as a vital trade artery connecting the Arabian Peninsula with the Mediterranean, Africa, and Asia. Structured across four thematic zones, the galleries showcased underwater archaeological discoveries and Saudi Arabia's ongoing efforts to protect and document submerged cultural assets, SPA reported. Among the exhibition's centerpiece displays was the 18th-century Umluj shipwreck, discovered submerged 20 to 22 meters deep amid coral reefs. Its recovered cargo—including commercial containers, pottery, coins, ceramics, and daily shipboard tools alongside antique navigational instruments and nautical maps—illustrated the vibrant human exchange that traversed regional waters. Organized in collaboration with the Heritage Commission and the Historic Jeddah Program, the exhibition was also part of the summer season's cultural offerings, combining interactive public programming with scientific research to bolster cultural tourism and raise awareness of the Kingdom's underwater heritage.
