Researchers believe the site is situated in southern Iraq close to the Gulf, aligning with predictions for a strategically positioned port connecting river transport on the Tigris with seafaring routes. High-resolution geophysical scans and drone imagery have charted fortification walls, street grids, city blocks, and industrial districts at the location. Temple complexes, workshops with kilns and furnaces, and traces of a harbour-and-canal system have also been found.
The scans reveal a planned urban layout typical of Hellenistic foundations, with a grid pattern and distinct zones for religious, industrial, and commercial activities. The harbour-and-canal system suggests the city was designed as a trade hub, linking Mesopotamia to the Indian Ocean trade routes. According to Daily Express - World, Stefan R.
Hauser, archaeology professor at the University of Konstanz, described the evidence as 'absolutely stunning'. He noted that building walls appear just below the surface and that preservation is 'surprisingly good'. Hauser's team plans to conduct ground surveys to verify the remote sensing data, but funding and access remain challenges.
The site is located in a region that has seen conflict and looting, raising concerns about preservation. The identification has not yet been peer-reviewed or confirmed by other experts, and no artifacts or inscriptions have been found that explicitly confirm the city's name as 'Alexandria on the Tigris'. The exact location of the site has not been disclosed, and the timeline for further excavation or verification remains unclear.
The discovery, if confirmed, would shed light on the network of cities founded by Alexander during his conquests. Archaeologists hope that further work will uncover inscriptions or coins that could confirm the city's identity.