An international team of archaeologists successfully raised 22 monumental blocks from the seabed near the site of the legendary Lighthouse of Alexandria, marking a milestone in the ongoing PHAROS program aimed at digitally reconstructing the ancient wonder. Led by Isabelle Hairy from the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), the mission undertook the challenging task of recovering these massive stones, each weighing between 70 and 80 tons.
The lifted blocks include monumental door lintels and jambs, architectural elements that once formed part of the towering structure. "The objective of our exceptional and spectacular operation is to study and scan these architectural elements to add them to the hundred blocks already digitized underwater in the last 10 years," the French archaeologists stated in a release, according to Archaeology Magazine.
The scanned elements from this recent operation will join a collection of over 100 blocks that have been digitized underwater over the past decade, uniting hundreds of architectural pieces studied in detail.
The Lighthouse of Alexandria, constructed on the island of Pharos near the ancient city of Alexandria in Egypt, was considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Completed around 279 BCE after 12 years of construction during the reign of Ptolemy II Philadelphus, the lighthouse stood over 100 meters tall and featured a distinctive three-tiered design. It served as a beacon for sailors navigating the flat coast of the Nile Delta, with a bonfire at its highest point emitting light visible from an incredible distance.
Despite its construction using large blocks of limestone and granite, the lighthouse suffered severe damage from a series of earthquakes between 956 and 1323 CE. A powerful quake in 1303, originating from the island of Crete, was particularly destructive, leading to the ultimate collapse of the structure. Some of the fallen debris rested on the seabed of Alexandria's harbor, where it remained for centuries.
In the 15th century, the remaining ruins of the lighthouse were repurposed to build the citadel of the Mamluk Sultan Qaitbey, literally on its foundations and using its stones. This citadel is considered one of the most important defensive fortresses in the Mediterranean.
Among the discoveries of the recent mission are fragments of a previously unknown monument, including a pylon with a door crafted in Egyptian style using Greek construction techniques. The pylon has not yet been fully identified but is believed to date back to the Ptolemaic dynasty, adding another layer of intrigue to the underwater archaeological landscape of Egypt.
The mission also recovered threshold stones and large slabs from the base of the lighthouse, as well as imposing beams and vertical columns that were part of its majestic entrance. Each digitized section and scanned fragment will be meticulously analyzed and virtually placed in its hypothesized original position within the now-vanished construction. This digital assembly will help researchers examine hypotheses about the construction methods of the ancient engineers and explore the causes that ultimately led to the lighthouse's collapse after more than 1600 years.
By stitching images together, the researchers are creating a virtual model of the Lighthouse of Alexandria, which is hoped to provide new clues about its construction, design, and eventual downfall. The project will also offer the public a unique opportunity to experience the iconic structure as if not a day has passed since its zenith.
The Lighthouse of Alexandria was not only a marvel of engineering but also a symbol of the city's prominence at the heart of the Mediterranean's commercial networks. Its light saved countless lives, guiding sailors safely into the bustling harbor and solidifying Alexandria's status as a cultural and economic beacon in antiquity.
The study and digitization of these architectural elements have been conducted by the teams of the Center for Alexandrian Studies (CEAlex), the permanent unit of CNRS, and the French Institute of Oriental Archaeology (IFAO) in Egypt. The work was carried out under the auspices of the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.
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